Scotiabank through its Bright Future Programme is hosting the annual HIV Regional Testing Day at its branches countrywide, starting at the Robb Street branch tomorrow.
Clinics are also being held at the Carmichael Street, Bartica and New Amsterdam branches on Friday, June 28 and at the Parika branch on Sunday, June 30.
For more information the public is invited to visit the bank’s website www.scotiabank.com/csr According to a press release, this is the fifth year that Scotiabank in Guyana is participating in this regional initiative. The public can visit any one of its testing sites during the day where trained personnel from the National AIDS Programme Secretariat will conduct confidential screenings and provide counselling on taking precautions to stop the spread of HIV. “Scotiabank is proud to contribute to the health of our communities by partnering with the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS (CBMP) and opening up our branches to host clinics for HIV Regional Testing Day,” said Amanda St Aubyn, Scotiabank Guyana Country Manager. “As a bank with a long history and strong roots in Guyana, we need to continue taking action and provide HIV/AIDS support because we know the importance of the health of members in our communities,” she added.
In 2008, the CBMP and Scotiabank in collaboration with regional health ministries piloted the first HIV Regional Testing Day in Barbados.
Since then it has expanded across the Caribbean. This year, the CBMP expects that approximately 10,000 people from across the region will be tested. Also, this year, Trinidad and Tobago will introduce HIV Regional Testing Day which brings the number of countries participating to 21, the programme’s largest international reach to date.
Scotiabank’s support of this programme is part of the Bank’s Global HIV Strategy launched in 2011 which works to fight the stigma and discrimination of this life-threatening STI by promoting awareness and education. In 2012, the bank supported Testing Day in Guyana by hosting five clinics and testing 369 persons (23% more than in 2011).