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Midlands Correspondent

Midlands State University (MSU) expects to test over 5 000 students for HIV and other sex-related ailments at its campuses across the country this semester as it enhances its efforts to reduce cases of new incidences and educate the tertiary learners on the pandemic.National AIDS Council (NAC) communications director Ms Medeline Dube recently said there has been an upsurge in cases of new HIV incidences among young people, most of whom are in universities and colleges, a development which prompted parliamentarians to embark on a vigorous anti-HIV and AIDS campaign in tertiary institutions.

In an interview on the sidelines of a two-day Health Expo at MSU, acting director of Health Services at the institution, Mr Tafirenyika Shoko said the institution would soon introduce voluntary counselling and testing for HIV to over 5 000 students this semester.

“We have stakeholders from the health-related sectors at this Health Expo who set up stands so that students can pass through and access services they are offering such as HIV testing and counselling, information on cancer, diabetes and other ailments.

“This is part of our efforts to conscientise our students for their own health, which is a form of empowerment.“We are targeting 5 000 students, hence we have made it a two-day affair,” he said.Mr Shoko said the institution last semester offered health services ranging from HIV testing and counselling, information on cancer, diabetes and many other ailments to over 2 600 students during last semester’s one-day health expo.

He said as part of its efforts in trying to raise awareness on HIV, the university participated at the National HIV Counselling and Testing programme, where it tested about 1 200 students.

Mr Shoko said only 0,86 percent of students tested positive to HIV at that time.The move by MSU comes as statistics from NAC show that higher and tertiary education institutions have the highest rate of new HIV infections in the country.

According to statistics from NAC, the number of new infections stands at 86 708.The organisation is now advocating for mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS in the tertiary institutions’ curriculum.