Concord Times (Freetown)
Rachel Horner
28 November 2008
The National AIDS secretariat (NAS) has started its door to door HIV/AIDS testing campaign in Freetown to commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1 this year.
The door to door testing, which started at Groundnut market in the centre of Freetown and Congo Market on Dougan Street attracted over 300 youths from Freetown who were voluntarily tested for the disease.
HIV/AIDS counsellor Marina Marco told Concord Times that they were doing rapid testing, which gives the result after 20 minutes. After six weeks a confirmative test would be done at Connaught hospital and a written result will be issued.
"We are now meeting the people and at the same time sensitizing them to go for the confirmative test after they have been initially tested," she said.
The testing group has two motivators who move around to inform people to go for the test. Marco said 70% of people are willing to be tested and happy that the test was in their doorsteps.
Teenager Rhoda Rhodes said she went for the test because the testing seems closer to the people, adding that results are given instantly. "After six weeks I am going to Connaught to do the confirmative testing. I decided to do the test to know my status and I believe that HIV/AIDS exists, that is why I am here," she said.
Young boys and girls are going round their communities calling others to go for the test.
Director of NAS, Dr Brima Kargbo said his secretariat was promoting a national HIV testing campaign as part of a global initiative aims at testing 1,000,000 against this year's World AIDS day.
"In Sierra Leone, we expect to test 20,000 people. The epidemic is on the verge of stabilizing," he said, adding that the treatment is ongoing and that they have done research to find out whether the people are surviving.
Dr Kargbo confirmed that 84.5% are still alive after 1 year of treatment, adding that the government was doing tremendous work to see that those infected are given proper treatment.
He called on every Sierra Leonean to get involved in the fight against the HIV menace.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Concord Times. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
