24 hour Aids care centre opens in Durban

24 hour Aids care centre opens in Durban

Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) - July 07, 1995
Anne Eveleth

South Africa's first 24-hour Aids care centre has opened in Durban, marking the culmination of five months of determined effort by a dozen people whose lives have been directly affected by the virus.

The Durban Aids Care Centre aims to provide a "friendly service" to the Aids and HIV community -- and hopes to inspire wider community participation in combating the

Centre chairman Edward Higgs -- a former Johannesburg supermarket manager, who decided to get involved after losing "a lot of friends and one family member to Aids" -- says the centre's philosophy is that "Aids sufferers don't just need a counsellor -- they also need a friend. We want people to know there are friends out there who do, in fact, care."

The centre offers round-the-clock counselling services for people with Aids and HIV, and their friends and families; free counselling courses for anyone interested in getting involved with Aids prevention and awareness in their communities; pre and post-HIV test counselling; condom distribution; medical referrals and information on other Aids care facilities.

While a number of Aids care services already exist, they are "overloaded, with 600 people a day being diagnosed this year, compared to only 250 per day last year ... The other problem is that most centres are only open between 8am and 4pm and there's nobody to talk to after hours." In the longer term, the centre hopes to form a social group for the Aids community, organise outings and provide a place where people can

While the centre is still raising funds -- and hoping the government will help out -- Higgs said the initial response from the community had been "very good".

"The new government has done a lot for Aids and the new health budget reflects that. But businesses have also responded positively -- there is a growing realisation that the economy is also affected by Aids and they need to do something," he said.

The Centre is located on the 8th Floor, HL Maharaj Building, corner of Point Rd and Pickering Street, Durban -- across from The Wheel. Counsellors can be seen at the centre or called on (031) 313-3353.

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