Should HIV Tests for School Children?

Western Cape, South Africa, high HIV-AIDS in South Africa, making the local government set up a national campaign to test for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) in the school for nine provinces in South Africa.

The campaign of voluntary HIV testing and counseling (VCT) or an HIV test done voluntarily is enough controversy and challenges due to be tested are school children.

Local health department announced on HIV testing in schools to be in February 2011. This is done for about 3 percent of children under 18 years of age in South Africa has been declared HIV-positive, according to a report in 2010 by South African research institutions, the Human Sciences Research Council.

Approximately 13 percent of this amount between the ages of 12 to 14 years were reported to have had sex in the last 1 year, even more than a quarter of girls aged 12 to 18 years never done a cross-generational sex with men at least five years older, who possess greater HIV risk factors.

"Effective sex education should be done before the age of 16 years and VCT is a great way to make this a real discussion. This is a simple way if we are to stem the tide of HIV for future generations," said Peter Fenton, a former chief education specialist and manager of Life Skills and HIV / AIDS Programmes in the Western Cape Province, told Health24, Thursday (02/10/2011).

However, some students and teachers' unions oppose school-based HIV testing is, by reason of children age 12 years may not be psychologically or emotionally ready to face the HIV-positive diagnosis.

Individuals under the age of 18 years is still considered immature in South Africa, but amendments to the local Children Act 2008 has made a special provision, by lowering the age of consent for HIV testing which is 12 years, provided that demonstrate an understanding of the benefits of testing, risks and social implications.

Local health department indicated that VCT services will only be offered to middle school students, which effectively include children under the age of 12 years.

However, HIV testing for children remains controversial and has led to reap the service providers and schools to negotiate some level of parental involvement.