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Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 16, 2016 (SKNIS): Traditionally, the season of love, Valentine’s also marked the beginning of the National AIDS Programme’s offer of the HIV rapid test as a point of care service to workplaces from February 12.

 

Dubbed the Valentine’s “Quickie,” the point of care rapid test is available at the National AIDS Secretariat, and continues post-Valentine as a quick test to know your HIV status.  As customary, it is free, easy, reliable and confidential.

 

The Secretariat as a point of care site, offers the HIV Rapid Test in an environment that is safe, comfortable and confidential.  Like previous tests, the HIV Quickie test includes pre-test counseling, where clients are counseled and assessed for risk of acquiring and transmitting the virus before testing.  The entire procedure, including the provision of results takes approximately 20 minutes.  As such, it is being promoted as a Quickie, compared to the previous delayed method, which took at least a working day, as was the case at National Testing Days, prior to 2015.

 

Another major difference is that the Quickie is done through the point of care rapid test method which requires a small sample of blood, collected from a few drops after a finger prick.  If a result is positive, clients are informed that a second test would need to be conducted for confirmation.  If after the second test, the result is negative the result is accepted as negative. All positives are confidentially referred to appropriate follow up care and management services where applicable.

 

The National AIDS Programme, reiterates that people can live with HIV for years before having any symptoms and the only way to be sure of one’s status, is to have an HIV test.  HIV Quickies are available at the Secretariat.  To take advantage of this arrangement, call and make an appointment at 467-1233 or 1234.