The New Zealand AIDS Foundation's Auckland Burnett Centre is marking World AIDS Day 2007 by opening its doors on a Saturday for rapid HIV testing appointments. Saturday 1 December is World AIDS Day, says Burnett Centre manager Wayne Otter, and there's no better time to book yourself in for a testing appointment. “If you've been putting off getting tested because you can't get in to our clinic during the week, then this is the opportunity for you, especially if you've put yourself at risk by having unprotected sex,” he says. “Catching a virus is easy, and we always advise condom use for anal and vaginal sex.” Gay and bisexual men remain the highest risk group for HIV infection, with one new diagnosis being recorded every five days among this group in 2006. 80% of new HIV diagnoses in 2006 where infection occurred in New Zealand were among gay and bisexual men. “Auckland is the HIV capital of New Zealand,” Otter says. “This is where most of the HIV infections are occurring, so if you're a man who has sex with other men then it is even more important for you to come in and get tested.” Rapid HIV testing is only available in Auckland from the Burnett Centre. It involves taking a finger-prick blood sample, which is loaded into a testing device that gives a result back within twenty minutes. Regular HIV tests require a full blood sample, and up to a week's worth of anxious waiting time for the result. Otter advises those interested in testing to book in early for World AIDS Day, as the Burnett Centre does not normally open on Saturdays and there is expected to be high demand for this one-off event. “We have a full complement of staff on hand doing tests all day, but appointments are still limited,” he says. BURNETT CENTRE CONTACT DETAILS: 1/3 Poynton Tce, Auckland Ph (09) 309 5560 Fax (09) 302 2338 Email: contact.burnett@nzaf.org.nz Ref: NZAF (Press Release)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 17th November 2007 - 9:05pm