CHARLOTTE, N.C. — December 1 is World AIDS Day – an opportunity to remember the lives lost from the AIDS epidemic and help prevent the spread of HIV.
In Mecklenburg County, HIV cases are on the rise. To combat the growing problem, Mecklenburg County Public Health is offering free testing at the Valerie C. Woodard Center in west Charlotte and the Ella B. Scarborough Center in northeast Charlotte from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1.
Health officials told WCNC Charlotte that testing is key for preventing new HIV cases.
According to the county, about 6,000 people are living with HIV in Mecklenburg County. There are several reasons why cases are increasing.
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"When we were all closed, and at home due to COVID, there was very little testing going on," Rao Community Health President Dr. Bernard Davis said. "Now that we're all out and about and we can actually do more testing, I think we're gonna see increases like that."
Davis said case increases are happening nationwide.
To get more people tested, the county HIV/STD Director Matthew Jenkins said the stigma must be reduced.
"It's critically important that we reduce the stigma around HIV and HIV testing so that more individuals are aware of their HIV status," Jenkins said.
Davis said they need the public’s help to do that.
"If we provide more education, it would be great that the community would then also teach and educate people in their circles," Davis added.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nationwide, 13% of people who are currently living with HIV don’t know it. Untreated HIV can eventually turn into AIDS.
"When we have a diagnosis of a person who's tested positive for HIV, we can quickly get them into care," Davis said.
The county offers testing at 20 locations. Rao Community Health offers *free rapid testing at its clinic and partners with local universities to bring testing to students.
"We want to ensure that we reduce the number of new cases of HIV in our community," Jenkins said.
People can also come by the two county health centers during the event to pick up at-home HIV test kits.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.