Health4Men at Zola clinic - Opening
Soweto gets additional sexual health services for gay and bisexual men
The Anova Health Institute’s Health4Men initiative is proud to introduce a new clinical site for all men who have sex with men (MSM) at Soweto’s Zola clinic.
The Health4Men service at Zola is run in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development, and will provide MSM with HIV screening and treatment, CD4 counts, STI screening (including wart treatment), TB screening, TB prevention (INH) and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PEP).
Health4Men at Zola clinic opened its doors to the public on 1 March 2012. The initiative is a welcome addition to the compliment of public health care services already supported by Anova, including medical male circumcision and TB care and treatment.
The introduction of this innovative service is part of Health4Men’s ongoing commitment to reach MSM in need of competent sexual health care.Historically neglected and stereotyped, the health care needs of MSM are increasingly being recognised as a priority in successfully addressing the HIV epidemic.
If the overwhelming response at Health4Men’s Simon Nkoli Centre for Men’s Health at Baragwanath are anything to go by, the new MSM centre at Zola promises to be a popular initiative that will enable even more men to access sexual health care. Ms Mariah Mazibuko (Deputy Director of Programmes for Region D12), said "It's an initiative that is long overdue. MSM have been neglected in the health sector for a very long time. It will be a great success and will benefit the whole community". The CCNT/ART Project Manager at Zola Clinic, Sisi Mduli, added that "..men who have sex with men are normally in hiding when it comes to sexual health and treatment, but when you separate them, they show up and you are able to treat them."
The service was officially launched on Tuesday, 6 March 2012 at Zola clinic.
Click here for The Citizen's report
Click here for pictures from Health4Men at Zola clinic launch
Health4Men is an initiative of the Anova Health Institute and is funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
