Through exceptional intervention efforts that address drivers of HIV, SFH manages a range of HIV programmes that provide HIV prevention products, services and information to those South Africans who need them most.
Miriam Mhazo, Head of Health Services at SFH said: "Addressing drivers of HIV such as Multiple Concurrent Partnerships and Inter-generational Sex through health education and risk reduction programmes helps us contribute to the reduction of new HIV infections in South African communities.
"Through the YouthAIDS programme, SFH is able to promote healthy behaviour communications for HIV which includes abstinence, delayed sexual debut, mutual fidelity, "Know Your Status" and correct and consistent condom use for young, sexually-active people."
Mhazo added: "Other programmes that have enabled SFH to reduce HIV infection rates include New Start HIV Counselling and Testing programme; Medical Male Circumcision programme, YouthAIDS programme, public sector condom distribution as well as male and female condom social marketing.
"We aim to expand efforts to prevent new HIV infections using the above mentioned combination of effective and evidence based approaches. We engage with all levels of government, partners and communities to expand prevention activities as well as expand HIV testing to reduce new infections."
Society for Family Health is currently preparing two new initiatives for the New Start programme. Training materials were recently completed for Home-Based counselling and testing; the organization is in the process of defining target locations for the New Start @ home program. The team is also exploring options for rapid CD4 count testing, in order to facilitate early treatment for clients who test positive.
In addition, in support of the government's Provider Initiated Testing and Counselling program, New Start trainers are training public sector health care workers in screening, testing, counselling.
