June 22, 2007

NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY

This is much harder than getting tested for HIV

The Update has been vehemently opposing forced HIV testing. But voluntary testing—and counseling and care to go with it—is a good thing. And Wednesday June 27 is National HIV Testing Day.

The annual National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) campaign, cosponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA), encourages at-risk individuals to receive voluntary HIV counseling and testing. Events will be taking place throughout the country to do just that. For happenings in your area, click here.

But National HIV Testing Day should really be every day. The CDC estimates that 180,000 to 280,000 people nationwide are HIV-positive but unaware of their status. And those are 180,000 to 280,000 people who are not receiving treatment and support. "An honest, clear talk about HIV and real informed consent—that's how HIV tests should be done and we need to make sure that happens billions of times each year," said Michael Kink, Housing Works legislative counsel.

The Housing Works AIDS Issues Update is reported, written and edited by Diana Scholl, David Thorpe, Phil Fox Rose, Christine Campbell, terri smith-caronia and Housing Works staff. Send your feedback, leads and story ideas to d.scholl@housingworks.org.

You can reach us by phone at 212-967-1500 x168, by fax at 212-868-4222, and by email at d.scholl@housingworks.org. Housing Works provides housing, advocacy and services to homeless people living with AIDS and HIV. Housing Works is the nation's largest community-based AIDS organization and the nation's largest minority-controlled AIDS organization.

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