Nobuhle, Phindile, and Nelly greeting clients at the campaign.

This past Sunday, the 11^th of September, the WhizzKids United Health Academy staff held an HCT Follow-Up Campaign at Ingqwangele High School in Snathing of the Greater Edendale area. Back on the 21^st of May, we held the first HCT Campaign at the school. On the 24^th of August, the principal of the school asked me if the WKU Health Academy staff could return and do a three-month repeat of our services from the initial campaign. He even stressed that different members of the community also expressed interest in our return. We were so excited to be invited back that we jumped at the chance to serve our community once again.

On Sunday, Khumza, Mthobisi, Nelly, Nobuhle, Phakamani, Phindile, Prudence, Zanele, and myself from the Health Academy, as well as Mary and Theo from the WhizzKids United office, worked the campaign. We arrived at the school by 10:00 in the morning and prepared the classrooms as our consultation rooms. We moved desks together and set-up stations for testing and counselling and performed the following services: HCT (HIV Counselling and Testing), BP (blood pressure), HGT (blood glucose test), TB screening (Tuberculosis), referrals for MMC (male medical circumcision) and Pap smear.

Our Follow-Up Campaign achieved great results. We tested 30 repeat patients and 20 new patients. The best news was that there were no HIV-positive clients. The Health Academy staff provided health education as well as issued condoms to our clients that came. Our health education was very helpful because many clients want more of our services from the Health Academy such as Pap smear, MMC, HCT, TB screening, and STI (Sexual Transmitted Infection) testing. We even heard requests from clients who would prefer the Health Academy to operate on weekends full-time. Although the Health Academy does not currently operate on weekends, this will be an issue taken into consideration in order to expand our services for the community. 

We cannot stress how thankful we are to Ingqwangele High School and the community of Snathing for utilizing our services and inviting us back. We look forward to holding a six month repeat on our services at Ingqwangele in March 2012.