Campaign encourages gays to test for diseases

BURGERSFORT – Health System Trust, the Department of Health (DoH), the Aurum Institute and other stakeholders encouraged locals to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases.The pledge was made during an awareness campaign for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersexed (LGBTI) community held at Steelpoort CBD and Tubatse Crossing Mall on March 31.The town was packed with representatives, who handed condoms to every shopper at the mall and also advised them to test for diseases.Speaking to Steelburger/Lydenburg News, Mogale Maboshego from the DoH said they discovered during the 2016 World Aids Day conference that an alarming number of LGTBI people were infected by sexually transmitted diseases.”We want to stop these illnesses from spreading. Most people infected are hiding, and we are encouraging them to come test and take medication. The number of homosexuals being infected is of concern,” Maboshego said.Representing the LGBTI community was Phakamani Mavimbela. He highlighted that they wanted gays and lesbians to be accepted in their communities.”We still have situations in which some of us are sidelined and subjected to abuse.”We want locals to know that we are people, and deserve equal treatment,” Mavimbela said.The campaign also included extramural activities, including dramas, poems and dialogues. The stakeholders vowed to conduct such sessions on an annual basis.