AIDS Day: Successful Global HIV Testing Campaign to Test 1M People Marches On

Enthusiastic Response Greets Worldwide HIV Testing Campaign Led By AHF; 1,000 Organizations in 72 Countries Team Together to Test One Million People Worldwide November 26th - December 1st for Week of World AIDS Day

By: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Los Angeles - December 1, 2008

As part of its global World AIDS Day effort to test one million people for HIV, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest AIDS group in the US which currently provides medical care and services in 22 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and Asia, spearheaded the One Million Tests campaign.  The campaign, which has been organized by AHF in coalition with over 1,000 global partners from 72 countries around the world, mobilized non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local and national governments, international relief agencies, faith-based organizations and civil society to participate. The goal: a worldwide commitment to provide a total of ONE MILLION Free HIV Tests during an extended World AIDS Day week from November 26th through December 1st-World AIDS Day.
 
“Our 'One Million Tests' campaign has been met with a wildly enthusiastic response in all corners of the world,” said Terri Ford, Director of Global Advocacy for AHF and Coordinator of the 'One Million Tests' campaign, in a statement from Africa where she is overseeing AHF's own 'One Million Tests' World AIDS Day testing efforts in South Africa and Uganda. “The collaboration and participation of so many partner organizations-NGOs, health ministries, government bodies, faith-based groups and others-has been inspiring, but I am truly heartened and humbled by those individuals who are seeking out the testing services that we and the more than thousand partner organizations are providing this week.”

“Testing, and linkage to care and treatment, when needed, are crucial linchpins in helping us break the chain of HIV infection,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “Not only does antiretroviral treatment save the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS, it also helps prevent further transmission of the virus. It is our belief that the successes of our 'One Million Tests' campaign clearly show how we can overcome roadblocks in the fight against HIV/AIDS-be they logistics, bureaucracy, stigma or indifference-by working together to develop easily accessible HIV testing models and improved access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment worldwide.”

Following is a snapshot of some ongoing testing successes in the 1MT WAD campaign:

CAMBODIA-(Phnom Penh) As of Friday, November 28th, 3,518 people had tested and 69 positive individuals were identified which resulted in a prevalence rate of 1.9 %. The testing campaign, which is taking place in eight provinces throughout Cambodia, expanded over the weekend and the country expects to conduct more than 30,000 HIV tests during the campaign.

MEXICO-(Mexico City) As part of this global project, Latin American and Caribbean governmental and non-governmental agencies have committed to doing 45,000 free HIV tests. At one recent testing event in Mexico City held at the plaza by the Metro Insurgentes rapid transit stop, more than 500 people tested during a six-hour free health clinic. Six individuals were found to be HIV-positive and linked to follow up care and treatment.

UGANDA-(Masaka) At a one-day testing event in the town of Masaka, about two hours south of Kampala, 1,941 individuals tested. AHF's Uganda CARES spearheaded a mass mobilization effort and conducted group pre-test counseling for the daylong event, which followed a high-spirited AIDS awareness march of thousands of citizens marching through the town led by government, health and military officials.

USA-(Los Angeles) AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the group spearheading the entire global 'One Million Tests' campaign, held a 24-hour free rapid HIV testing marathon at its flagship 'Out of the Closet' fundraising thrift store and HIV testing site on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Hollywood. Within the first ten minutes, twenty-three individuals signed in for testing-a number that would usually test in a normal four-hour testing shift. By the end of the testing marathon, AHF tested 146 individuals at this one testing site; three individuals were found to be HIV positive (slightly above 2%), and each was linked to follow up counseling, care and treatment.

There are currently 33 million people worldwide thought to be living with HIV/AIDS. Of these, only about three million people in the developing world have access to lifesaving antiretroviral AIDS medications. The vast majority the 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide have never been tested for the virus.

Countries taking part in the 'One Million Tests' campaign Include:

Asia-Armenia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Viet Nam

Africa-Uganda, South Africa, Swaziland, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone

Europe (Western)-Austria, England, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain

Europe (Eastern)-Hungary, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine

Latin America-Mexico, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guyana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, The Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela

North America & the Caribbean-US, Canada, Anguilla, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Turks & Caicos, Trinidad, St. Vincent, Virgin Islands

Australia-Australia, Fiji, The Solomon Islands