St. Maarten AIDS Foundation is marking the occasion of World AIDS Day 2015 with free and confidential HIV testing day on Saturday, November 28, at Scotiabank in Philipsburg. Testing is open to the public from 10:00am to 4:00pm, and will incorporate a number of different announcements and events.
As in years past, the AIDS Foundation welcomes radio stations to the World AIDS Day testing. Island 92, and x104 will be present to broadcast from the bank, imparting important information about HIV, interviewing people involved, and encouraging listeners to come get tested.
Between 11:00am and 1:00pm Motiance Dance School will showcase their dance talents and will be offering the audience a free Zumba session. The foundation’s very energetic youth wing will also be present as volunteers, creating a festive atmosphere and to encourage persons to be tested.
President of the AIDS Foundation Dr. Gerard van Osch said, “HIV is preventable, and knowing that you don’t have it is the first step – so testing is important. When you know that you do not have it, you tend to take better care to ensure that you do not get it in the future. If you find that you do have it, then we work together to ensure that proper care is given to take control of the virus and keep you healthy.”
Testing involves only a small finger prick and results are available within 15 minutes. Tests are anonymous and linked to the person only by a one-time identifier.
St. Maarten AIDS Foundation, with its secretariat in the Sun Building across from Tropicana Casino in Cole Bay, is the only entity offering HIV/STI prevention education outreach and care/treatment support for persons living with HIV/ AIDS on the Dutch side of the island. The foundation, run primarily by volunteers, also carried out two free life skills programmes targeting teenagers in high school. The girls participate in Girl Power and the boys in Real Talk.
While the foundation acquires the bulk of its funding from community and corporate donations a major donation generator is the annual Stronger Together/Red Ribbon fundraising campaign carried out in collaboration with Scotiabank. The 2014 campaign fell just short of the annual goal of US $100,000, a reflection of the continuing challenge in fundraising locally and internationally.
To make a donation, e-mail in**@sx***************.org or make a direct deposit at Scotiabank account numbers 7223 (US dollars) and 7221 (guilders) in the name of “Stronger Together HIV/AIDS Campaign.” For HIV counselling and tests, visit the secretariat or call 588-4636 or 553-2626. Also visit the foundation’s website: www.sxmaidsfoundation.org for more information about services.