The Institute for Public Health (IJZ), during the next week, will organize a free campaign of counseling and testing for HIV and hepatitis in several Montenegrin municipalities.
The IJZ said that next week in Europe, HIV and hepatitis testing week will be celebrated.
It is stated that IJZ is joining organizations, institutions and key leaders across Europe in marking this initiative again this year.
"The aim of marking the European Testing Week is to raise awareness of the importance of testing and early detection of diseases, as well as to point out the importance of providing greater accessibility to testing for those who are at increased risk of these infections," the statement said.
As stated, the theme of this year's action is "Stigma and discrimination are obstacles to testing." You can help change that!”.
It is added that the goal, in addition to increasing awareness of the usefulness of testing, is to emphasize the importance of an integrated approach to testing (integrated testing for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted infections).
"In order to mark this action, the IJZ, together with the network of HIV Counseling Centers in the health centers of Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Nikšić, Kotor, Pljevlja and Herceg Novi, is preparing a weekly campaign of counseling and testing for HIV and hepatitis," says the announcement. .
It is stated that the testing campaign in the IJZ will be conducted from Monday to Sunday in the premises of the HIV Counseling Center, from 20 am to XNUMX pm.
The IJZ said that testing for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C is free and does not require a referral.
"Rapid tests are used and the results are ready in no more than 30 minutes," said the IJZ.
They stated that the European HIV testing week originates from the "HIV in Europe" initiative and has been implemented since 2013, and since 2015 it has been extended to include hepatitis.
"The initiative provides a platform for the exchange of activities in the field of improving early diagnosis and treatment of HIV and hepatitis in the European region," the announcement says.
European Testing Sunday was supported by numerous international organizations (UNAIDS, European AIDS Clinical Society, AIDS Action Europe, European Liver Patients Association, World Hepatitis Alliance and others), and several hundred organizations from most countries of the European region participate in the action every year.
The IJZ stated that the key messages for the general population are that it is better to find out your HIV/hepatitis status as early as possible.
As it is added, early initiation of treatment prevents the development of health complications, improves quality of life, extends life expectancy, and can even lead to a cure for hepatitis C infection.
The key messages are that treatment reduces the possibility of transmission of infections to uninfected people, and that hepatitis B infection can be prevented by vaccination against hepatitis B.
It is clarified that when testing for HIV/hepatitis, health workers follow the code of ethics, which consists of: consent to testing, confidentiality, correct counseling with communication of test results and referral to treatment while promoting the protection of human rights of persons infected with HIV and hepatitis.
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