From Cayman Islands Public Health Department

The Health Services Authority (HSA), the Cayman AIDS Foundation, and the Red Cross have joined forces once again to organise HIV Testing Week, which this year will run from Saturday 22 June to Friday 28 June 2013 under the theme: Take the Test and Take Control – Know your HIV status.

This annual observance is part of an international and regional awareness initiative during the last week in June, when people around the world are encouraged to participate in voluntary HIV counseling and testing, conducted by trained and experienced personnel.

HIV counselling and testing is important because it allows increased entry into comprehensive HIV treatment and prevention programmes and services. In particular HIV infected clients are able to receive early referrals into treatment and care programs where they can benefit from further counsel and support. Meanwhile at-risk clients receive risk reduction counseling and support to maintain their HIV negative status.

Minister of Health, Hon. Osbourne Bodden, believes in the benefits of the HIV testing and counselling campaign.

“The good news is that with the excellent services and treatments available nowadays, with early diagnosis and treatment, someone with HIV can look forward to a normal lifespan, as well as taking steps to protect their partner from infection. That’s why it is vitally important that anyone who has been at risk gets an HIV test, and that those in higher risk groups get screened regularly,” said Minister Bodden.

Commenting on the importance of prevention, Nurse Manager for General Practice and the District Health Centres Karen Clayton Babb notes that, “The best way to reduce the risk of becoming infected with HIV is to avoid risk taking behaviours that give the virus a chance to spread from someone else to you. The main behaviour change should be to prevent all unsafe sexual practices and engage in faithful relationships.”

Special arrangements have already been implemented to facilitate speed and confidentiality for HIV testing activities during the week’s observance.  At HSA facilities on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, persons seeking counselling and testing do not need an appointment.  Rather, they only need to indicate to the registration clerks that they would like to register for free HIV testing. In Little Cayman persons are required to call the clinic for an appointment.

The waiting time for testing is usually no more than ten minutes. Results will be available in three working days. These will be given to the patient only, who must return to the clinic where the test was taken to retrieve the final results.

Some testing will be available in public places. These include Cost U Less (for staff and customers) on June 22, Cayman AIDS Foundation on June 24, and Cayman Islands Red Cross Building on June 25. Persons who are tested at these locations should come to the HSA’s General Practice Clinic for results. Full details of the testing schedule are in the side bar.

In addition to urging the public to take advantage of the free testing, officials emphasise that there are several ways to avoid or reduce the chances of being exposed to HIV.

These include:

•          Being faithful with a partner who is also faithful;

•          Abstinence;

•          Always using protection (condoms) in sexual encounters;

•          Avoid the use of illicit intravenous drugs.

For more information about HIV Testing Week, contact Nurse Karen Clayton Babb at 244-2724, or [email protected]; or Health Promotion Officer Therese Prehay at 244-2632, or [email protected].