STI/HIV/AIDS prevention work continues in central Cuba

 

CAMAGUEY, Cuba, Oct 27 (ACN) Every Monday, the local Health Education Center (CES) welcomes people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS) who are yet to be tested at least once during 2021 to ascertain their viral load and their response to treatment to prevent infection with COVID-19.

These tests remain a priority of the provincial section of STI/HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis B and C, currently headquartered at the CES to avoid crowding in the laboratory of Microbiology of the Provincial Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology.

Denia Castañeda Barberán, head of the said section and specialist in Hygiene and Epidemiology, pointed out that CES is now in charge of these tests, which are also applied to men who have sex with men (MSM) who do not know their serological status.

In both cases, they hand out condoms, lubricants and educational material, according to the digital publication, considering that the Section seeks to speed up the measures to end the epidemics and strives to tackle further infection and reduce the number of deaths and complications
associated with these diseases, ensuring the patient’s timely access to effective and sustainable care, prevention and treatment and therefore, eliminate any form of discrimination.

Since 1986 and until September 30 this year, 1,920 people have been diagnosed with HIV in the province, a number on an upward trend especially in the provincial capital.