Free HIV testing in north

Dominica News Online - Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 at 12:41 PM
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Print
  • email
  • Google Buzz
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit

Portsmouth and surrounding northern communities are being given an opportunity to participate in this year’s Fifth anniversary of Regional HIV Testing Day.

Health professionals here will team up with Caribbean HIV Alliance on Friday (June 29, 2012) to conduct HIV testing and counselling, in keeping with regional and worldwide activities focusing on HIV/AIDS.

“This testing day is geared towards getting people to know their status. The HIV/AIDS Unit urges all persons in the North, Vieille Case, Thibaud, Clifton, Capuchin and Penville to come to Portsmouth to get free HIV test,” states a release from the Ministry of Health.

According to the release, Dominica continues to report new cases every year from the island’s productive population.

“Up to the end of 2011 the cumulative number of reported cases stood at 376, more than half of whom have died,” the Ministry confirmed.

Health officials say while the Caribbean remains one of the hardest hit regions in the world by the AIDS epidemic – second only to Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of HIV prevalence – HIV testing is an important part of prevention and treatment efforts.

They are also highlighting the finding that “studies show that those who learn they are HIV positive modify their behaviour to reduce the risk of HIV transmission.  Early knowledge of HIV status is also important for linking those with HIV to medical care and services that can reduce morbidity and mortality and improve quality of life”.

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com/Duravision Inc. All comments are approved by DominicaNewsOnline.com before they are posted. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • violate or infringe the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or include personal attacks
  • are abusive, profane or offensive
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are excessively long and off-message

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

7 Comments

  1. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0 kid June 27, 2012

    thats false anonymous the counselling and testing is so organjsed thet only one person is in at any given time.

  2. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0 s June 27, 2012

    what about Roseau? arent they doing it there also like last year???

  3. Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 1 Thumb down 10 Koshoni June 27, 2012

    I doh need 2 know. What u don’t know won’t affect u. But go ahead every body it free get ur status known

  4. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1 father June 27, 2012

    same tactics used to catch benladin false vacine

  5. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0 BiGmE June 27, 2012

    Where are they going to be testing at the Hospital?

  6. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0 Anonymous June 27, 2012

    i support the cause, but i am very skeptical about taking test in these big groups. it possible that your results get mix-up with someone elses, hence killing you faster than the normal…..but thumbs up for the initiative…its free so yall get tested

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared.

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »