Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - August 26, 2008
Thabo Mkhize
University bosses yesterday announced at the OR Tambo International Airport that a funding from the European Union has made it possible for the country to establish prevalence rates in the country's 23 tertiary institutions.
The Vice Chancellors, who are members of the strategic advisory committee of Higher Education HIV/Aids Programme, agreed that it was important for the country to know the extent of the epidemic in tertiary institutions when preparing policy and treatment.
Dr Mvuyo Tom, Vice Chancellor at the University of Fort Hare said: "If you don't know the attitude of your employees and students towards HIV/Aids then you will have a problem."
Professor Duma Malaza, CEO of HESA said: "The 23 vice-chancellors took a joint decision that the stakes were too high to continue without knowing the size of the problem and endorsed the plan for HEADS to conduct a national survey."
They were supported by Dr Shaidah Asmall, HEADS director, who added that it was important to understand the extent of the disease amongst tertiary students who are the lifeblood of the society and the economy of the country.
The study would be carried out on a voluntary basis on being conducted on 25 000 students and university staff.
And the result, expected to be released early next year, would not be communicated to the subjects as testing will not be linked to any name.
The study commenced at the University of Stellenbosch early this month and when completed would be able to give gender, age and institution breakdown of the prevalence."
The study would be biggest ever to examine the extent of the killer disease amongst students, with knowledge on prevalence based on surveys conducted at institution.
Prof Roy Du Pre, Vice Chancellor of Durban University of Technology, said it was worrying that a number of students were disappearing from tertiary institutions after a few years of study. Students write exams but after two year they disappear and when you investigate you find that they are dead.
It is alleged that HIV/Aids prevalence is high at students' residents where cohabitation is rife, coupled with excessive abuse of alcohol which often leads to unprotected sex.
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