The New Zealand AIDS Foundation says its first ever National HIV Testing Month was a huge success. During May, when the campaign ran, 311 rapid tests for gay and bi men were carried out at the NZAF’s 19 testing locations. That’s an increase of 130 per cent on the monthly average. There was particular demand in Auckland, where there is now a three week wait for appointments. The NZAF therefore expects to see further increases in testing numbers beyond the campaign period. The manager of NZAF's Burnett Centre in Auckland, Jill Beaumont, says people got in touch to get tested after seeing marketing and advertising of the initiative. "They had contacted friends and said, 'It's testing month, we need to get tested,'" she says, adding couples came in for testing, as well as people who had never tested or who tested infrequently. "Testing Month was a good reminder that having an HIV test should be part of your regular health check, like going to the dentist.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 15th June 2015 - 11:10am