The National AIDS Programme Secretariat is kicking off its National Testing Drive today with free testing at popular sites, after national swimmer Niall Roberts took an HIV test and appealed to other sports personalities to ‘know their status.’
This year’s programme will be held from today until December 1 and, once again, testing will be done at two popular temporary sites: The City Mall and Ashmin’s Mall. Testing will be done throughout the shopping day. “The HIV test is free, reliable and confidential,” a press release from the Ministry of Health-NAPS said.
The National Testing Drive is part of a series of activities to commemorate World AIDS Day in Guyana. The roster also includes an annual Inter-faith service at the Umana Yana tomorrow at 7.30am and a medical outreach at Masjid An Najm and on the tarmac at Independence Boulevard over the weekend from 9am to 3pm.
Services at this two-day event will include eye care, VIA screening, VCT (Voluntary Counselling and Testing) dental checks and extractions and general medical screening. A walk-a-thon will also be held on Sunday from 6am starting from Parliament Buildings, east along Brickdam, south along Smyth Street, east along Broad Street, south along the continuation of Camp Street into Hunter Street and concluding on the tarmac at Independence Boulevard next to the masjid.
World AIDS Day on December 1 brings together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. It also provides an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries and around the world. It also commemorates the 30 million people who have died from AIDS-related diseases and honours the 32 million people living with HIV, and to recommit to creating a future without AIDS.
Commemorative events will be held nationwide and the public is encouraged to participate. The ministry-NAPS will also be hosting a series of activities leading up to December 1.
According to the release, between 2011-2015, World AIDS Day observances will be incorporating the theme ‘Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths.” The World AIDS campaign focus on ‘Zero AIDS related deaths’ signifies a push towards greater access to treatment for all; a call for governments to act now, the ministry said.
