Take test, take control, get free gas!
Franklin Primary Health Center, Inc., will offer free HIV/AIDS testing on National HIV Testing Day, Friday, June 27.
Partnering with the Mobile County Health Department, South Alabama CARES, the Mobile County HIV/AIDS Direct Care Consortia and the Mobile AIDS Coalition, testing will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Medical Mall, located at 1303 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue.
The theme of this year’s event is, “Take the Test, Take Control,” and the first 50 people who come in, take a short quiz and get an HIV test will receive a gift certificate for free gas at Griffith Shell, 1262 Government Street. WalMart gift cards and other prizes will also be available.
The Alabama Department of Public Health reports that Mobile County continues to have one of the highest infection rates in the state with 2,520 persons living with HIV/AIDS. Statewide there are 15,483 Alabamians infected with African Americans accounting for over 9,000 of those cases or 63% of all infections.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AIDS is now the number one cause of death among African Americans between the ages of 13 and 25.
Women account for 82% of all newly diagnosed cases and 68% of the estimated deaths last year.
“For every person that is diagnosed, there are two or three people walking around who may be infected but don’t know their status,” Tyloria Crenshaw, HIV Coordinator at Franklin said. "The goal for this day is to get people tested, so they will know their status, get into treatment and protect themselves and those they love.”
South Alabama CARES will hold a Candlelight vigil in Cathedral Square at 9 p.m., to remember those who have lost their lives in this pandemic. They will also conduct free HIV testing from 9:00 p.m. to midnight. For more information contact Crenshaw at (251) 436-7665.
