Free HIV tests offered on World AIDS day

This year, World AIDS Day celebration will be held in the Northern Division during which a HIV Testing & Counselling Policy will be launched.

Maura Elaripe, a person living with AIDS for 18 years, says every day is seen as World AIDS Day to people like her.

Blood testing and counselling centres were set up at the Clock Tower Square and near the main branch of the Bank of Bhutan office for people to test their HIV status.

“Valuable progress has been made in increasing access to HIV and AIDS services, yet greater commitment is needed around the world if the goal of universal access is to be achieved”.

The free testing was organized by the Health Services Authority’s Public Health Department, the Cayman AIDS Foundation and the Cayman Islands Red Cross.

Raye St. Denys is the executive director of Shining Mountain Living Community Services, an organization that provides housing primarily for aboriginal women at risk, and says the vulnerabilities from social determinants of health are higher among aboriginal populations. First Nations people can’t access medical dollars to get them to treatment and get them back.

One of them was Kate Cogswell. “I look forward to the 2016 High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on AIDS as a critical chance for the world to commit to Fast-Track the end of AIDS”. “According to International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) Guidelines 2015, an estimated 50 per cent of people living with HIV (PLHIV) globally are unaware of their status”.

“I urge our people to go for early tests and be able to manage the disease if found to be HIV positive, the drugs are now with us”, he said.

The National Aids Control Programme manager, Dr Abdul Baseer Khan Achakzai, agreed and said people should not treat those suffering from HIV with hatred.