By Michelle Jones
A number of testing facilities, community outreach programmes and events are running in the the city on Monday to mark the 20th World Aids Day.
According to UNAids estimates, there are 33,2-million people worldwide living with HIV, including 2,5-million children.
With almost one in five adults in South Africa infected with the virus, the focus of this years' campaign is to know your status by getting tested.
Some 5,7-million people are HIV-positive and approximately 70 000 children are born with the virus annually.
HIV rapid tests are done on finger-prick blood and are a quick, easy and reliable way of testing, with a result available in just 15 minutes.
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The city's Get Tested campaign aims to strengthen the prevention initiatives to diminish new infections.
Outreach events will be held in shopping centres around the city, to make HIV testing more accessible to everyone.
People can also visit their local clinics or community health centres for free counselling and HIV testing.
This service is available throughout the year, free of charge.
Events in Cape Town include outreach programmes at Shoprite Centre in Somerset West, Broadlands Square in Strand, Nyanga taxi rank, Zolani Centre and Mandela Square in Atlantis.
HIV testing will be available at the Thusong Centre in Khayelitsha.
A youth-focused event will be held at the Rooikrans Sports Field in Grassy Park.
St George's Cathedral will be holding a special service on Monday at 1pm.
HIV testing will be available at the cathedral from 10am to 3pm.
Premier Lynne Brown will be tested this afternoon at the V&A Waterfront, and Deputy President Baleka Mbete will ask the nation to stop working for 15 minutes to think and talk about the disease.
michelle.jones@inl.co.za
- This article was originally published on page 6 of Cape Times on December 01, 2008
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