Lephalale - Two thousand workers at the Eskom Medupi power station in Limpopo will be tested for HIV as part of a campaign to test 15 million South Africans before June.
National health spokesperson Fidel Hadebe said the workers at the Medupi power station in Lephalale would be tested over three days next week.
"The three-day testing campaign at Medupi is a partnership between the department, construction giant Murray and Roberts and power utility Eskom. The testing campaign will run from 1 - 3," said Hadebe.
President Jacob Zuma launched the HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign in May last year. By the end of June last year, 4.8 million people had been tested, of whom more than 90 000 were diagnosed HIV-positive.
Currently, 18% of South Africa's total population of 48 million South Africans is reported to be HIV-positive.
Hadebe said Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi was prioritising prevention as a means to curb the disease.
Motsoaledi will attend the testing campaign at Medupi next week. He will be joined by Eskom CEO Brian Dames, Eskom board chairperson Mpho Makwana, Limpopo Health and Social Development MEC Dikeledi Magadzi, Murray and Roberts executives and senior Limpopo government officials.
The HCT campaign will also be implemented at high schools. Last week, Parliament approved the proposal and the Health Department is developing a policy for school-based HIV testing.
South Africa has almost 12 million pupils in more than 6 000 high schools.
"If all 12 million high school pupils from the age of 12 were to be tested for HIV, the department would far exceed its target of testing 15 million South Africans by June," said Hadebe.
