On the occasion of World AIDS Day that is marked on December 1st, the Clinic of Infectious Diseases of the UCC RS organized anonymous, costless, voluntary HIV /AIDS and viral hepatitis testing as well as counselling activities.
All interested citizens had the opportunity to be provided with costless testing and counselling in the Counselling Centre of the Clinic of Infectious Diseases. This year, twenty-seven people were tested in total. Early detection of HIV can prevent occurrence of AIDS and testing is recommended to people belonging to the risk groups. This year, there were no positive test results. Citizens’ response was pretty much the same as in previous years.

This action is aimed at prevention of HIV infection as well as at prevention of other sexually transmitted diseases. As in previous years, educated personnel provided interested citizens with necessary information. The Counselling Centre for hepatitides B and C and HIV infection has been operating since June 1st, 2007 and it is located on the ground floor of the Clinic of Infectious Diseases. In the Counselling Centre, voluntary, anonymous and costless HIV testing is conducted, pre-test counselling and post-test counselling are provided, rapid tests on plates (HIV, HCV, HBV) are carried out, psychosocial support to the people chronically infected with hepatitis B and/or C and people living with HIV/AIDS is provided as well as psychosocial support to the people closest to them (household members, partners, friends..). Activities carried out in the Counselling Centre also include pre-exposure prophylaxis for the prevention of hepatitis B among healthcare personnel and post-exposure prophylaxis for the prevention of hepatitis B and HIV infection among healthcare personnel after the exposure incident. The aims of organizing these actions are to draw attention of public to this health problem and to reduce stigma and discrimination of people suffering from HIV.