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Student finances affected by HIV/AIDS

    JOHANNESBURG

    HIV/AIDS-related illness and deaths among South Africa's university students have resulted in a debt of more than US $1,2 million to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

    The statement follows a recent meeting of the South African Universities Vice-Chancellors Association to discuss the findings of the first audit of HIV/AIDS programmes at 35 tertiary institutions.

    The debt has highlighted the devastating effect of HIV/AIDS on the student aid body, and raises questions for the scheme on how to minimise its exposure to bad risk.

    According to a local newspaper, Business Day, the director of the audit Barbara Michel said the scheme could not discriminate against HIV-positive students. The onus was therefore on universities to provide treatment, care and support for HIV-positive students, so they could maintain good health long enough to pay back their loans.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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