Corner Athol & Burn Streets,
Waverley, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Postal address: PO Box 981, Highlands North 2037
HIV/AIDS Policy 2009
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
The community of St Mary's is affected by the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in our country and on our continent as it has touched our families, our households and our communities including our carers and friends. Knowledge, understanding, compassion and insight are our guiding tools in the implementation of this Policy.
Living positively with HIV at St Mary's School
St Mary's commits itself to non-discrimination, inclusiveness, helpfulness and unconditional support in dealing with any member of the St Mary's community who is affected by or infected with HIV.Support staff, teachers and pupils with HIV will not be discriminated against.Pupils with HIV will be allowed to enrol and attend the School.Support staff and teachers with HIV will be allowed to work or teach at the School and remain eligible for promotion.Support staff, teachers and pupils are expected to come to work or attend classes as long as they are able to function effectively and pose no significant medical risk to others at the School.If support staff or teachers are not able to come to work, sick leave will apply.If pupils are not able to come to school, the School will make academic work available and encourage parents to home school.
Encouraging and facilitating treatment access for all
HIV is now a medically manageable disease, for which effective treatment is available. St Mary's commits itself to facilitating appropriate referral for any member of the St Mary's community who may require access to treatment.It is clear that effective treatment suppresses viral replication and renders the person on it non-infectious.For this reason, St Mary’s believes in the importance of facilitating testing in order for the members of the St Mary’s community to know their status and get access to early treatment.
Dignity and respect at St Mary’s School
HIV is a disease as any other, and it should be discussed, approached and managed as any chronic disease.Stigma - irrational fear and condemnation – may be attached to this disease and makes it necessary to approach any diagnosis of HIV with care. Confidentiality should be maintained regarding any person’s status, unless an individual elects to disclose his or her status.Whilst the individual’s right to confidentiality is respected, St Mary's will encourage supportive openness rather than secrecy and, where desired, St Mary's will support voluntary disclosure.If a staff member, teacher or pupil chooses to disclose their HIV status to the School Nurse, a supervisor or senior staff member, the informed person will be expected to keep the information confidential. In the case of an emergency, disclosure to a third party may be necessary but would occur with the consent of the staff member, teacher, pupil or her parents.
Prevention of exposure at St Mary’s School
HIV is an infectious disease, but the ways in which it can be transmitted have been clearly identified and are limited. The risk of transmission at St Mary's is low and can be managed with sound universal precautions, should any risk arise in the classroom or on the sports fields.Support staff, teachers and pupils must treat all human body fluids as potentially infected with HIV. Any exposure to or cleaning up of body fluids must be done in such a way that there is no risk of becoming infected. The School will supply the necessary material such as gloves, plastics and disinfectant to ensure adequate personal protection and cleaning of contaminated areas.In an emergency, latex gloves are available to protect those providing first aid.Any support staff, teachers and pupils with open wounds or skin lesions should ensure that the lesions are covered completely and securely.In contact sport no pupil may play with an open wound and, should an accident occur, play can resume only once the injured have been removed from the field.
Education at St Mary’s School
An age-appropriate continuing HIV/AIDS education programme must be implemented for all pupils, teachers and support staff.The information presented must be accurate, scientific and must cultivate an enabling environment and a culture of non-discrimination.The education programme must develop life skills which empower all to make behavioural choices that will not place them at risk.
Duties and Responsibilities
Support staff, teachers and pupils must respect the rights and dignity of all pupils, teachers and support staff. Teachers have a particular duty to ensure that these rights are respected, protected and promoted.
