svetski_dan_borbe_protiv_side_mThe Counselling Centre of the Clinic of Infectious Diseases once again marked World Aids Day with the aim of offering wholehearted support to people living with HIV.

This year’s testing was conducted on Monday, December 1st, 2014, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Counselling Centre for HIV and hepatitides B and C within the Clinic of Infectious Diseases of the University Hospital Clinical Centre Banja Luka and in the Student Centre, Pavilion 2. Testing was voluntary, confidential, anonymous and costless and it included HIV tests as well as tests for hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Counselling and testing were conducted by educated counsellors who used rapid tests.

In total, sixty-four people were tested i.e. 33 men and 31 women. What makes us happy is the fact that there were no positive tests. During this year’s action, response of the young population and people that have not been tested so far should be specially praised and emphasized, because the fact that almost 10 % of world population is infected with one of these three infections (HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C) implies the necessity for testing and prevention of further spreading. When it comes to HIV infection, the Republic of Srpska appertains to low prevalence countries i.e. below 5% among the risky population and below 1% among general population. By conducting the counselling and testing, we aim at early detection which can improve the quality of lives of these patients and reduce the possibility of transmitting the infection to other people.

We would like to remind all interested citizens that regular working hours of the Counselling Centre for HIV and hepatitides within the Clinic of Infectious Diseases of the University Hospital Clinical Centre Banja Luka are from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on every weekday and  from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. during December and on Tuesdays.