Get Tested!

Voluntary HIV/AIDS testing and counseling are
conducted by theSilver Lining for the Needy Initiative
 and Gede Foundation in Kubwa.
Photo by SLNI.

The Get Tested! words are clearly printed on their T-shirts as they conduct the business of providing free HIV testing and counseling to members of the public who voluntarily avail of this opportunity.

Wearing these T-shirts and making use of rapid test kits provided by the Ministry of Health- HIV/AID Division are the staff of SILVER LINING FOR THE NEEDY INITIATIVE (SLNI) and GEDE FOUNDATION, who were at the NYSC Camp in Kubwa, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday, the 15th of July 2010, to give free testing and counselling to more than 300 people - and the results were immediately made available to them, so that those who required more information were referred to the Gede Foundation's facilities within Abuja.

Kubwa is one of the 12 communities that SLNI has earmarked for monthly voluntary testing and counseling for the year 2010.

Early this year, SLNI entered into a collaboration agreement with Gede Foundation to conduct monthly VCT in the FCT. SLNI is a nonprofit nongovernmental organization registered in Nigeria for the promotion of health education, research and charitable pursuits. This is achieved through their broad spectrum of projects that include treatment/care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS and care and support for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

Gede Foundation has a mobile laboratory van which serves as SLNI on-site laboratory where the staffs perform rapid diagnostic tests.

The next VCT will be on the July 29, 2010 at Lubge Community.

If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, or to be part of future VCTs contact: Emmanuel Okafor: eokafor@gedefoundation.org; 08033517099 or SLNI: info@slni.org 08034213135, 07027855625.

The following photos were taken at the HIV testing and counselling in Kubwa by SLNI:

More than 300 people participated in the voluntary HIV testing
and counseling conducted by SLNI on July 15 in Kubwa.
Photo by SLNI.

Staff of Silver Lining for the Needy Initiative, at the
HIV testing and counseling in Kubwa on July 15, 2010.
Photo courtesy of SLNI.