The LGBTQ Center hosted free HIV testing for World AIDS Day Monday in collaboration with a number of student groups and the Virginia Department of Health.
Access to regular HIV testing is important, LGBTQ Center Health Intern Sindhura Elagandhala said.
“There are a lot of resources available, and we have a lot of information on them in the LGBTQ center,” Elagandhala, a second-year College student, said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 percent of all new HIV infections in the United States occurred among those aged 13-24 in 2010, even though this age group accounts for only 17 percent of the population. The highest number of HIV diagnoses of any age group occurred among young people between the ages of 20 and 24.
Since it began in 1988, World AIDS Day has been held on Dec. 1 each year. This year’s theme was “The Time to Act is Now.”
“This is a very historically important issue, and we want to make sure we’re giving it the coverage it deserves,” Elagandhala said.
Elagandhala said out of the 64 people who attended the event in the LGBTQ center yesterday, 56 were tested and received their results before leaving.
Yesterday’s turnout was more than double the usual attendance, which typically numbers around 20. The LGBTQ center holds approximately two or three testing events each year.
While the Virginia Department of Health provided free HIV testing, safe sex materials and testing kits, various student groups such as the Zeta Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma, Student Council, the Black Student Alliance, the Peer Health Educators and the Student Global AIDS Campaign tabled in the LGBTQ Center to provide information about the history of AIDS.
“We really wanted to make sure we hit all the populations that have greatly been affected by it and are continuing to be greatly affected by it,” Elagandhala said. “The black and African American population has taken a huge hit recently as well, so that’s why we asked the BSA if they would be interested.”
Based on the high student turnout and the participation of a number of student groups, Elagandhala deemed the event a success.
“We wanted to get quite a few groups involved to address all of the populations that are greatly affected by it, provide resources for them and get as many people tested as possible,” Elagandhala said. “We’re really happy with how well it went this year.”
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