Online Guide to Antigua and Barbuda's Government Information and Services
Barbudans urged to get tested during a visit by the AIDS Secretariat this week

13th June 2016

With Regional AIDS Testing Day just around the corner, National AIDS Program manager, Delcora Williams, said the sister island of Barbuda will be first in line to receive all the benefits that go along with the day.

Williams declared that although the Regional Day of Testing for HIV and AIDS falls on Friday June 24th, Barbudans will get two full days of care and treatment beginning the middle of this week.

"We will be in Barbuda from June 15-16 (this Wednesday and Thursday)giving persons there the opportunity to get tested just as we are doing in Antigua.

We are inviting everyone to visit the Fisheries Complex between 9:30am and 9:30pm, get tested and know your HIV status", Williams said.

As for mainland Antigua, Williams said that on June 19 the annual event will be held in conjunction with Scotia Bank, the Caribbean Media Broadcasting Against HIV and AIDS and PANCAP.

Williams is hoping to supersede the number of individuals who were tested during the 2015 exercise.

The person in charge of Antigua and Barbuda's Program for Regional Testing Day is Mrs. Dawn Small who said that there will be a number of events leading up to the big day on June 24.

Mrs. Small said that beginning Sunday June 19, there will be a Dedicatory Service at the St Georges Anglican Church from 8:30am, while the following day will see testing and counseling being done at the AIDS Secretariat and at the Pigotts Primary School at 3pm.

Small added that there will also be an afternoon of voluntary testing and counseling at the Villa Primary School and that event is slated to run from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday.

Friday being the big day, the main event will be a Street Fair at Scotia Bank on High Street which will involve HIV Counseling and Testing, Free Screening for Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar as well as Cholesterol from 9am to 4pm.

During the same hours on Friday, there will be testing and counseling at the Scotia Bank Woods Branch and the curtains will come down on the week of activities with an HIV voluntary testing and counseling session at the Lower Ottos Community Centre next to the basketball court.

The theme for this year's Regional testing Day is, "The risk is not knowing your HIV status, G.Y.T, Get Yourself Tested."

For More Information Contact:
Debbie Francis
Communication Officer
Tel: (268) 464-8026