Independent Newspapers

DA leader Helen Zille. Photo: Gareth Smit

A lucky draw aimed at encouraging people in the Western Cape to take HIV tests has “significantly” increased the number of people being tested for the disease, premier Helen Zille said on Wednesday.

“Preliminary indications are that the incentive scheme significantly increased the number of people being tested, both at our network of clinics and at the special sites set up for the project,” Zille said.

The “Know Your Status and Win” draw ran from November 28 to December 10. Under the campaign, every person who took an HIV test at any of the province's 204 testing points was entered into a draw in which they stood a chance of winning R50 000 or one of five R10 000 cash prizes.

About 10 631 people tested for HIV at the campaign’s testing stations during the campaign.

The monthly average of testing figures from April 2011 to November 2011 was 65 516 people.

Critics said the campaign smacked of “cheap publicity” and that the money could have been put to better use.

Zille said however that the figures during the campaign were indicative of “some significant shifts” from the norm.

“We expect the figure for December 2011 to be higher due to HIV testing sites not part of the campaign having reported a spike in members of the public presenting for testing, many of them making enquiries about the draw,” she said.

The province “firmly believed” its expenditure on behaviour change initiatives could result in savings by encouraging more people to have regular tests. - Sapa