A Brief History The then Technikon Witwatersrand established the Wellness Centre in 2004. The purpose of the Wellness Centre was to promote, coordinate and implement wellness interventions for both students and staff, including for HIV and AIDS.
In 2005, the merger between RAU and TWR took place and the University of Johannesburg was formed. UJ decided that HIV and AIDS needed to be a priority and, as a result, the Institutional Office for HIV and AIDS (IOHA) was established in 2006. Its purpose is mainly to focus on student HIV and AIDS programmes at UJ. IOHA has since expanded and now has six staff members appointed across the UJ campuses. This was made possible through the financial assistance received from the EU/DoE/HESA/HEAIDS/UJ funding agreement in 2007.
Vision and Mission Statement
The Institutional Office for HIV and AIDS (IOHA) aims to mainstream HIV and AIDS through all aspects of the University of Johannesburg’s core activities.
Vision
Our vision is to be a division striving for excellence in delivering a quality service to all students, in collaboration with internal, external and international partners.
Mission
Our mission is to develop effective strategies continually in order to ensure that students of the University are better prepared, both professionally and personally, to deal with HIV and AIDS in South African society.
We are committed to:
- providing an effective and efficient service that is accessible to all students;
- facilitating the holistic development of all students;
- establishing and fostering partnerships with internal and external stakeholders;
- creating an environment that is conducive to an optimal student experience;
- creating opportunities that will prepare students to contribute positively to society.
Values
We value:
- Integrity and respect for human dignity and diversity;
- Professionalism in dealing with students, staff and colleagues;
- Acceptance, trust and confidentiality;
- Care and support;
- Innovation;
- Individuality and collective effort.