Free, anonymous HIV testing: Important collaboration between Pozitif-iz Association and Sarıyer Municipality

Turkey is the only country where HIV infection has increased by 460% in the last 10 years!

Today, people infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) can continue their lives normally with appropriate treatments. However, because HIV does not show symptoms for many years, it continues to vitally affect the health of both individuals and society. Launching an important study on the subject, the Pozitif-iz Association has further strengthened its campaign, which allows for free and anonymous HIV testing, through an agreement made with the Sarıyer Municipality.

The fight against HIV infection continues on a global scale. Although there was a significant decline during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Global Report published by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on July 13, 2023, 39 million people are living with HIV worldwide, and approximately 4,000 people are diagnosed with HIV infection every day.

Offering support and counseling services to HIV-positive individuals and their relatives, the Pozitif-iz Association has launched an important initiative that will benefit public health with its 'Bi’ Teste Bakar' (It Just Takes a Test) project. The free HIV testing campaign launched within the scope of the project aims to reach people who are unaware that they are HIV positive and direct them to treatment. As one of the supporters of this important work, the Sarıyer Municipality has provided support for a center where anonymous HIV testing will be conducted.

People who make an appointment and go to this center can get an HIV test without providing identification information or paying a fee. A representative from the Pozitif-iz Association at the center provides support to applicants by offering pre- and post-test counseling. Those who want to get information about the test can find details on the website pozitifiz.org/post/kimlik-bilgilerinizi-vermeden-ve-ucretsiz-hiv-testi-yaptirin.

10.2 MILLION PEOPLE CANNOT ACCESS TREATMENT

Providing information about current treatment options for HIV infection, the Pozitif-iz Association shared striking data on the subject. Accordingly, while 28.7 million (75%) of people living with HIV worldwide can benefit from treatment opportunities, 10.2 million people cannot access antiretroviral drugs that suppress HIV. Explaining that the number of newly infected people in 2021 was 1.5 million, Pozitif-iz Association Board Member Çiğdem Şimşek shared the following regarding the current situation in Turkey:

ŞİMŞEK: “THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH HIV INFECTION IN TURKEY HAS INCREASED BY 460% IN THE LAST 10 YEARS!”

“According to Ministry of Health data in Turkey, there are 41,732 reported cases that have been confirmed positive from 1985 to November 8, 2023. 81.5% of the cases are male, 18.5% are female, and 16.1% consist of foreign nationals. The cases are most frequently seen in the 25-29 and 30-34 age groups, respectively. It was announced that the cities with the highest number of HIV diagnoses are Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir, respectively.”

Stating that Turkey is among the Eastern European and Central Asian countries where the HIV epidemic is growing at one of the fastest rates in the world, Şimşek shared the information that, “Although Turkey is among the countries with low HIV prevalence, the increase in new infections in recent years has reached alarming dimensions. So much so that Turkey is the only country where HIV infection has increased by 460% in the last 10 years.”

Emphasizing that while the number of people diagnosed with HIV in our country increases every year, it is estimated that there are thousands of people who have not been diagnosed because they have not yet been tested, Şimşek underlined that the infection continues to spread rapidly for this reason.

TREATMENT IS POSSIBLE!

Another issue that needs to be known about HIV infection is the successful results achieved in treatment. In current practice, with daily single or double-dose drug combinations, HIV-positive individuals can lead a healthy and high-quality life just like everyone else. Sharing important information about treatment, Şimşek continued:

“There is no treatment yet that will completely remove HIV from the body, that is, provide a full cure. However, in 2017, a major scientific revolution took place in the field of HIV. All scientific authorities (CDC, WHO, UNAIDS, etc.) announced that HIV-positive individuals receiving treatment cannot transmit HIV to someone else through unprotected sexual intercourse with the slogan U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable). Every citizen in Turkey with health insurance (or a green card holder) can access Antiretroviral (ARV) treatments that suppress HIV.”

HOW IS HIV NOT TRANSMITTED?

Sharing information about the transmissibility of HIV, Şimşek shared these details:

“Rather than the transmissibility of HIV, one should focus on how it is not transmitted. HIV is not transmitted except through 3 main ways (unprotected sexual intercourse, from mother to baby, blood transfusion) when treatment and necessary precautions are not taken; that is, it is not transmitted by hugging, kissing, eating/drinking from the same container, or through sweat, saliva, or tears. Thanks to ‘Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U)’, HIV-positive individuals can have babies naturally, and women can now even breastfeed their babies under medical supervision.”

WHO SHOULD GET AN HIV TEST?

Expressing that they strongly emphasize that everyone should get tested for HIV regularly, Şimşek underlined that individuals should get tested every 6 months or once a year depending on their sexual practices. Regarding the HIV testing application launched by the association, Şimşek provided the following information:

“Sarıyer Municipality set a good example, broke new ground, and launched an HIV testing campaign within its structure. The municipality assigned us a health professional and provided a space. So far, 10 people have benefited from this application, and 2 people have tested positive. We do not leave HIV-positive individuals alone after the test; we direct them to the association to perform their general follow-ups. It is our duty to encourage more people to get tested for HIV without worry. With this application, we want to remove the obstacle that the fear of stigma creates in front of getting tested. Of course, we are also continuing our efforts to have this test performed in more centers.”

SUPPORT FROM SARIYER MUNICIPALITY!

The free HIV testing application is growing in impact with the support of the Sarıyer Municipality. Health Affairs Manager Dr. Armağan Eren, who explained the duties undertaken by the Sarıyer Municipality in the application, provided the following information:

“In this study, the focus is on an empowerment approach for people living with HIV. As a social service intervention, we want to help individuals, families, groups, and communities increase their personal, socio-economic, and political power and improve their conditions. For this purpose, a multidisciplinary approach has been implemented. Beyond public health services, raising awareness of social support is indispensable for a happy and healthy social life.”

ON WHICH DAYS IS THE FREE HIV TEST PERFORMED?

Stating that free HIV tests are performed at the Sarıyer Municipality Health Affairs Directorate every Wednesday between 10:00 and 16:30, Dr. Eren spoke about the procedure applied:

“Appointments made as a result of applications to our stakeholder, the Pozitif-iz Association, are arranged according to the privacy rights of the individuals. Our client, who declares to the reception staff that they have come for a 'test appointment', is met with our consultant according to the appointment schedule, and no identity data or identifying information is requested beforehand. The examination of the person who shares the information they wish about their situation with our consultant is performed, and then the result is evaluated. Depending on the need, experience sharing or referral to higher-level health centers is provided.”

HOW IS IDENTITY INFORMATION PROTECTED?

Explaining the procedure they apply to protect the identity information of those who get tested in the HIV testing application, Dr. Eren provided the following information:

“People living with HIV stand at a very sensitive point regarding health information due to the discrimination and stigma they encounter in social life. For this reason, violations of the privacy rights of people living with HIV carry the risk of bringing many other rights violations with them. Therefore, protecting the privacy rights of individuals at every stage, including applying for the test, is an ethical and legal necessity. No unnecessary data is requested from individuals, and no information that could fall into the hands of third parties is collected.”

News Source: 12punto