Montgomery County To Offer Free HIV Testing, Counseling

In the lead up to National HIV Testing Day on June 27th, the Montgomery County Health Department will offer free testing and counseling to residents, they announced in a news release.

MCHD is teaming up with Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS, a leading national public information response to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, for the initiative, the release states.

The clinic will take place at the Walgreens located at 1100 W. Main Street in Norristown, PA during a three-day period:

• Thursday, June 23, 2016 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm
• Friday, June 24, 2016 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm
• Saturday, June 25, 2016 from 10:00am to 2:00pm

Montgomery County Health Department will provide trained counselors to conduct the testing and will
provide results on-site within minutes. Alere North America, bioLytical Laboratories, and OraSure
have donated test kits, the county said.

Testing will take place at select Walgreens stores in 150 participating cities from June 23-25, 2016, according to the county.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that all Americans be screened for
HIV as a part of routine health care1, many Americans have never been tested or are not being tested
as often as recommended. According to national surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 43 percent
of Americans report never having been tested, and another 37 percent say they have not been tested in
a year or longer. With early diagnosis and treatment, someone with HIV can live a healthy, normal
lifespan.

“This month marks 35 years since the first case of HIV. We’ve come a long way, but getting tested is a
critical first step in staying healthy regardless of status,” said Tina Hoff, senior vice president and
director of health communication and media partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation, which
leads Greater Than AIDS.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health estimated that there were 35,000 people diagnosed and living
with HIV/AIDS in Pennsylvania in 2015; an estimated 65% of those presumed to be alive and living
with HIV/AIDS, live in Philadelphia and the four surrounding counties, including Montgomery County.
Also last year, it was estimated that over 700 individuals were newly diagnosed with HIV and residing
in this five-county region. Currently, Men who have Sex with Men (53%) and African Americans (38%)
have the highest percentage of people diagnosed and living with HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia and the
surrounding counties.

“HIV is still a real and serious disease. But with the right treatment and care, people living with HIV
can expect to live as long as the average person,” Glen Pietrandoni, pharmacist and senior
director of virology, specialty products and services at Walgreens, said in a statement. “So it’s important to take control of your health by getting a test and learning your status. If negative, there are now prevention options."