AN HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign was held by the City and the provincial department of health, with the theme "I'm responsible, you're responsible and South Africa is taking responsibility".

Welcoming guests at the event, councillor Ntobeko Dubula said that taking responsibility for one's life was a positive step. It helped one know where they stood with HIV, sexually transmitted infections and any other related diseases.

The campaign was held on Friday, 18 June at the John Dube Clinic in Scenery Park.

Speaking to the crowd, the provincial deputy director for HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections, Sindiswa Gede, said that the initiative was first encouraged by President Jacob Zuma, who spoke about having an HIV testing week during Youth Month.

She added that the number of people living with the virus in the province had dropped to 18 percent from 2009. However, Eastern Cape had "the highest rate of people living with tuberculosis [compared with] other provinces and we need to work on this".

Nurses in all government clinics were encouraged to give HIV-infected patients antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.

Addressing those affected by and infected with HIV, Executive Mayor Zukisa Faku encouraged all people involved in non-governmental organisations to continue supporting HIV-positive people. "To me, this is the greatest contribution that one can make in the fight again HIV and Aids.

"Our success in fighting this disease depends on all stakeholders and individuals working together wholeheartedly."

The mayor also mentioned that in her State of the City address, which she delivered on 10 June, she encouraged the City's wellness project to continue with its HIV/Aids programmes and also to oversee the smooth running and distribution of ARV treatment.

Gede added: "As South Africans, we are responsible for our lives. We encourage all people who are raped to report their cases so that they can get the necessary treatment before it's too late."

Youth Month is marked annually in June, around Youth Day on 16 June. The day remembers the youth of 1976, who protested against Afrikaans being used as the language of instruction in township schools. The riots sparked by the heavy handed response of the government security forces put apartheid in the international spotlight.