Healthy Living: National Testing Day
Leave no man behind – that’s the theme for this year’s National Testing Day. It’s a clear call for Belizean men to head out to get tested on Friday. In tonight’s healthy living we find out more about the upcoming testing day.
Marleni Cuellar, Reporting
It’s a simple finger prick and a five minute wait for the results. The modern day HIV test is quicker, simpler even less painful. One thing that is unchanged is that it is free. Yet, it is still not a test that many actively seek out. That’s why twice a year multiple agencies come together to host free testing days across the country. One of them takes place on Friday.
Anellie Paredes
Anellie Paredes, Communications Officer, National Aids Commission Secretariat
“There are two major events are two major events that NAC hosts that is National testing day in June and world Aids Day in December. The reason for that is because we want to remind everybody that they need or should get an HIV test done every six months.”
According to the WHO 2017 statistics, there are an estimate four thousand five hundred people living with HIV in Belize and a reported one thousand four hundred on treatment at that time. This indicates that there are persons who either don’t know their status or do know and aren’t seeking treatment. In Belize, women get tested far more than men. So this year the theme and focus of National testing Day is: “Leave NO Man Behind.”
Anellie Paredes
“In March 2019 UNAIDS put out a study the situation analysis of men in the Caribbean and it show a very high number of males infected with HIV and we’ve seen other studies that shows new infections are more in males than in females. We’ve seen a high increase with key populations and the key populations we mean MSM men who have sex with men, sex workers and transgender. There was a study done in 2014 by the Ministry of Health which looked at mode of transmission and two thirds were men who have sex with men. So we’ve definitely seen an increase there.”
There are multiple agencies that seek out these specific vulnerable groups for testing other times of the year. Friday’s event is open to public. The hope is that people will make use of the opportunity to test and to find out more about the disease and its transmission.
Anellie Paredes
“That fear of just being tested. Do I really want to know my status? Should I know my status? If you come out and get tested and you test positive, of course there are follow up tests that we will do to make sure that it is positive. However treatment and care is essential and it is here and most importantly it is free. The education awareness in the community is not as prominent as it should be. And that’s where our concerns are. Are we talking about it? Why are we not talking about it? Encourage conversations. Start at home with your kids. We’ve seen fifteen year olds, sixteen year olds being infected with HIV. So it needs to start somewhere. The conversation needs to start somewhere. It will be from nine a.m. to three p.m. countrywide. We have eight locations. Belize City at the Battlefield Park; Corozal at the old market place; Orange Walk at Central Park; we are in San Pedro at the Central Park; Belmopan at the Scotia Bank parking; we are PG at the Central Park and in Dangriga at the parking lot near A&R. We are hoping to have as many people out as possible again an emphasis on males. We really would like to see the males coming out voluntarily getting their testing done.”
In 2018 at the first national testing day, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-three people were tested across the country and only four were positive: three males and one female. This year, any male who gets tested will be entered into a raffle for sponsored prizes.
