Textile union cares for workers' sexual health

Published Jul 20, 2016

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Durban - Decreasing the rate of mother-to-child HIV infection was the cornerstone of textile workers’ union Sactwu’s dialogue with UNAids and the International Labour Organisation at the Aids Conference in Durban this week.

The Sactwu Worker Health Programme (SWHP), founded in 1998, has remained relevant in the fight against the spread of HIV/Aids and opportunistic diseases such as TB in the work environment. It has facilitated 344 621 voluntary male medical circumcisions.

According to SWHP, 48 159 of these circumcisions were performed in 2011, the inaugural year of its voluntary male medical circumcision programme.

SWHP chief executive, Colleen Khumalo, said the dialogue was focused on how the worker health programme could impact the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The session examined practices, barriers and opportunities in engaging men in the fight.

“We believe that the spread of HIV and opportunistic diseases like TB, will only be halted through a comprehensive approach that focuses on the drivers of these illnesses in addition to implementing evidence-based biomedical prevention and treatment measures,” Khumalo said.

“The drivers that need to be addressed include stigmas, poverty, inequality and violence against women."

In its inception the programme originally focused on helping the union manage the effects of HIV/Aids on its membership. According to the SWHP, which operates nationally, it has delivered “life-changing” health services to more than 1.2 million people directly, “and many more indirectly” in the past 18 years.

It had initiated other workplace programmes focusing on heath education and training, counselling and testing, provision of condoms and improved access to ARVs.

“While HIV and Aids affect both men and women, men are often not inclined to develop a health plan for themselves beyond vaccinations and hospitalisation for serious illnesses.

“Research in southern Africa has shown an increased rate of infection in cultures with entrenched notions of masculinity. These broad societal norms and the resultant stigmas proved to discourage men from getting tested, acknowledging their HIV-positive status, adopting healthier lifestyles and even being receptive to taking advice from female medical professionals in particular. It is also true that for many African tribes the decision to circumcise or not is sacred and linked to deep cultural beliefs.”

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