Pact shares insight into vulnerable children and HIV at SA AIDS 2019

In June, Pact's South Africa team participated in the 9th SA AIDS Conference, held in Durban, South Africa. In addition to presenting at the conference, Pact showcased the organization's global HIV and AIDS work at our stand in the main exhibition hall throughout the week.

Sharing valuable insight into youth HIV and innovative care through linkages, Wezet Botes, a systems strengthening specialist with Pact, presented research on children vulnerable to HIV, entitled, "Developing a self-assessment instrument to preliminary identify highly vulnerable adolescents at risk of HIV in resource constrained environments in South Africa." 

In other presentations, Pact staff members Christel Jacob, Keneilwe Thipe, Hlengiwe Mdebuka and Wezet Botes supported South Africa's Department for Social Development, and co-presented during three additional presentations. They were: Focusing on integration of HIV testing services into case management by social service practitioners in the Free State; Using the “girl/boy index’” as a programmatic identification tool for highly vulnerable adolescent’s HIV risk; and The design and implementation evaluation of the "You Only Live Once" HIV prevention social behavior change program for adolescents.

More than 3,000 people attended the conference, which focused on innovation and new technology in the fight against HIV. Many insights were shared on successes and challenges, with a large focus on how to increase impact among youth.