Itlhokomeleng Association for Aged and Disabled reminds Alex elders to always check their HIV status

The residents of local nursing home, Itlhokomeleng Association for Aged and Disabled, got together on November 28 for their year-end Christmas party. The occasion was also used as an opportunity to commemorate World Aids Day ahead of December 1, lighting candles for all those who have died of the disease in Alex.

The manager of the home, retired nurse, Sister Priscilla Chauke, reflected on how prevention, knowing one’s status, and medicating after testing positive are important for building a supportive community in Alex. Chauke, furthermore, noted how sad it is when a child contracts HIV from their mother, when there have been so many ways to prevent mother-to-child transmission since 2001.

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“Last year, in Edenvale, one child was saying how she hated her mom for not telling her she is HIV positive, even though she is dead,” said Chauke. “Let’s do our best for our children’s sake. Communities need to avoid stigmatisation and discrimination of persons living with HIV and AIDS. Children refusing to play with others because of their status is not okay. Let’s also care for our orphans.”

In addition to knowing your status, and adapting accordingly, Chauke encouraged guests to build onto the home’s previous year’s theme: Communities will lead in coming together in support of members who are living with HIV and AIDS.

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“We are in the community as sufferers, and people who know persons who have died, and children who are orphaned. So, we should live as a community,” said Chauke. “You’ll be able to protect yourself, and other people. If you’re positive, you’ll take treatment; and if you’re negative, you’ll protect yourself. That’s the key.”

Chauke, who is also an exceptionally talented singer, opened the official aspect of this event by singing a psalm in thanks to God. Her verses were about singing on the goodness of God with faith and standing together. This flowed into Chauke’s address on the importance of knowing your HIV status as a community member, ahead of lighting candles for residents of the home, and sufferers of HIV/AIDS, who had died in 2024.

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