Nat’l HIV Testing Day, June 27

Health District encourages people to learn their status

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 24, 2014

LAS VEGAS – National HIV Testing Day is Friday, June 27. The annual event is an opportunity for everyone to learn his or her HIV status. The Southern Nevada Health District and its partner, the Gay & Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada and the center’s MPowerment Project encourage all Southern Nevadans to get tested. More than 9,800 Clark County residents have been diagnosed with HIV and/or AIDS. The health district’s Sexual Health Clinic located 400 Shadow Lane, Ste. 106, offers HIV testing and clinical services including case management and referrals. For additional information, contact the clinic at (702) 759-0702, visit www.SNHD.info.

The health district’s Sexual Health Clinic is open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The clinic also offers STD services including testing, treatment, exams, referrals and counseling; the cost is $30. Additional fees may apply depending upon lab testing services to diagnose and treat certain sexually transmitted infections. Anyone who wishes to be tested and is not experiencing symptoms, can visit the Gay & Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada, Monday through Friday, or Richard Steele Boxing each Tuesday for free HIV/STD testing.

Additional free HIV testing is available during National HIV Testing Day:

Friday, June 27

National HIV Testing Day was launched in 1995 by the National Association of People with AIDS in response to increasing numbers of people with HIV in communities of color and other heavily impacted communities.

According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV. As many as 207,000 are not aware that are infected and could be passing the infection along to their partners. Early diagnosis is critical for people who are HIV positive so they can benefit from treatment. It is estimated that nearly 40 percent of people with HIV are not diagnosed until they have developed AIDS, which can occur 10 years after infection. New treatments developed in the mid-1990s have allowed HIV-positive people to live longer, healthier lives. The CDC recommends annual testing for individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behavior or use intravenous drugs. Pregnant women should be tested during the early months of their pregnancy to help eliminate transmission of HIV to their infants.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.