On average, one in four South Africans is HIV positive.
The HIV & AIDS pandemic is a very controversial issue in South Africa. Older generations have unclear perceptions of the issue, the government is unclear on their policy toward it, and everyone is dealing with the consequences. Our day was spent exploring this topic in great depth by visiting different HIV/AIDS focused centers and listening to speakers at each. After meeting at the TSiBA campus at 8:30am, we departed for our first site visit, the Emavundleni HIV/AIDS Centre in the Crossroads.
The Emavundleni Centre was named by the community, after a local gang that used to be in the area. This represented both a sign of growth and connection for the community. At the centre, we learned about the programs they were involved with, and what research was being done on this disease.
We discussed the specifics of the HIV strands present in the Western Cape and South Africa compared to the United States, and we learned about what research and testing was being done to produce local cures for local strands. We also learned about issues the centre was having with engaging the community in an active dialogue about HIV, and why it was sometimes difficult to create local involvement. Although I did not realize it at the time, this specific issue would be prevalent throughout the day, and be one of the most debated issues in our following discussions both inside and outside of the classroom.
After Emavundleni, we proceeded on to Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. This hospital is one of the very few hospitals in the country, and even Africa, that provides free services to many of its patients, and heavy financing for the others. Here we were able to learn about what the Hospital and South African Government is doing to improve children’s health both inside and out of the hospital, including HIV & AIDS. Additionally, we were given a walking tour of the hospital and were able to visit a few of their children’s wards.
Before heading to our final destination, Professor Kraan surprised us by bringing us to a nearby township where we met one of the local entrepreneurs that he is working with. This was a tremendous experience for me, as it was my first (but not last) exposure to a truly depraved township. The local entrepreneur showed us his leather working shop, proudly explaining how all of the leather he uses is recycled, and how he constructs his various leather items. He held a deep reverence for both us as students, and of Peter as a great friend and mentor. This was a hugely motivating experience and was a nice break from the sometimes more heart wrenching topic of the day.
Lastly, we travelled to the Desmond Tutu Foundation, located at the University of Cape Town’s MBA Campus. Here we were able to speak with a young doctor at the Foundation. He talked for about 30 minutes, giving us a great overview of the more technical aspects surrounding HIV & AIDS, including the complicated aspects of ARVs. After that, he opened the floor to questions, which there were plenty of. Personally, I think that our Q&A sessions are the most beneficial aspects of any of our site visits. To sit side by side with local TSiBA students and to have the ability to bounce questions and ideas off them, while having such a great resource as the young doctor to be able to articulately answer these questions is truly incredible.
Our questions seemed to mainly address the topic of ARVs and after discussing the hard and sometimes very controversial issues surrounding the whole issue for another 45 minutes or so, the young doctor had to leave.
Today was a long and sometimes stressful day. The topic at hand was controversial, frustrating, motivating and depressing – all at the same time. (Having the TSiBA students share their experience helped tremendously, but to see their frustration burn far more intensely and more personally than my own, only shows how large of an issue this really is.) After the doctor left, we drove to a local toy store, where we split into groups and bought various toys to donate to the children at the hospital. Then we headed home to digest all that we had learned.
- Jason Morris
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