The annual International AIDS Candlelight memorial took place at the Durban University of Technology’s Riverside Campus, last week, to pay respect to those who have passed away from HIV/AIDS.

DUT Student Counselling and Health Director, Naseem Haniff said that the candlelight memorial provides students and staff the opportunity to remember the impact that HIV/AIDS has on the lives of people.

“We pay our respects to those who have fallen from HIV/AIDS but it is also a time to reflect on how much progress we have made in informing the students. We need to take responsibility if we want to change the course of this pandemic,” said Haniff.

Acting Dean of students, Malusi Nxumalo discussed the importance of students taking care of their health.  “The theme is remembering those who have left us, there are a few key points to discuss. You have to understand that growing old comes with taking care of yourself. We need to become aware of our surrounding. It is key as young people need to take care of themselves. Taking drugs, excessive drinking and prostitution is now becoming a norm. It derails the main intent of what we are trying to do here,” said Nxumalo.

DUT HIV/AIDS Centre Manager, Thobile Zulu, said the memorial also served as a change and means to receive feedback from the students on how to improve and strengthen the reach and impact of the HIV/AIDS Centre.

“We hope that students would tell us in terms of what programmes they would like us to do and this would help the Centre by giving us an idea on how to operate in a way that will give us results. Statistics still show that the infection rate is much higher within young females. These are the things we need to challenge and change,” said Zulu

DUT senior lecturer, Nareen Gonsalves highlighted that although students may claim to know all they need to about HIV/AIDS, there are many underlying issues and unanswered questions that still needs to be addressed.

“It is very important to constantly engage about issues and on combating the stigma that surrounds this particular disease. It is also important we provide students with workshops and platforms like these so that they can expresses and inform themselves,” said Gonsalves.

The event was planned and coordinated by the Isolempilo Campus Health Clinic, Student Counselling and the DUT HIV/AIDS Centre took place on 25 July 2018.  Students from DUT, who serve as peer educators at the HIV/AIDS Centre held informative workshops on birth control and HIV prevention at the event.

Pictured: DUT HIV/AIDS Manager Thobile Zulu, UKZN HIV/AIDS Coordinator Nomonde Magantolo, DUT Acting Dean of Students, Malusi Nxumalo, DUT- Student Counselling and Health Director, Naseem Haniff, Clinic Sister, Suri Wardthen, DUT senior lecturer, Nareen Gonsalves, at the candlelight memorial.

Thembela Makhuba