Hope Foundation offers HIV rapid testing
Stabroek News
November 30, 2003
The Bartica-based Hope Foundation which offers education, counselling and support to people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS recently commenced rapid testing for the virus. Persons are counselled before and after the HIV test and the results are available in 15 minutes, a news release from the organisation stated.
Persons testing positive are given support counselling and are also referred for clinical management and other support. These services are offered from 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday at its office at 40 Second Avenue, Bartica. Persons can also contact the office via telephone numbers 445-2462 and 455-3144.
And in observance of World AIDS Commemoration Week from today until Saturday the Hope Foundation will be promoting community outreach education, television programmes in Bartica, riverain communities and the Mazaruni Prison, as well as an essay writing competition. The non-profit, non-governmental organisation also plans to host the "Flame and the Ribbon" on December 14, the release stated.
Last Friday the organisation staged an awareness march and rally under the theme 'Stigma and Discrimination: Live and Let Live'. The march kicked off from the Community Centre Ground and proceeded through the streets of Bartica accompanied by the Seventh Day Adventist Pathfinders band and ended at the Pavilion for the rally.
The feature address was delivered by Dereck Springer, Founder and Chairman of Lifeline Counselling Ser-vices. The rally featured dance, song and dramatic presentations while among those making brief remarks were Regional Vice-Chairman Norma Thomas, and Probation Officers, Region Seven, Cephill Collison.