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A local organization called
Magdalene Hope recently teamed up with California’s Kern County Department of
Public Health to offer free oral HIV testing to the high-risk female sex
workers on Union Avenue near 8th street. Doug Bennett, founder of Magdalene
Hope, felt that even though the women live a risky lifestyle, it is unlikely
that they would seek HIV testing. He explained that the women were being used
to make money and had to stay in a certain area. If they were away for a half
hour getting tested or some other unapproved purpose, they could be beaten.
Magdalene Hope and the Department of
Public Health recently began offering free HIV tests in locations frequented by
prostitutes. Bennett noted that the idea was to focus on the sex workers on
Union Avenue as they are not able to leave the area. They live, eat, sleep, and
work in that vicinity. Denise Smith, public health disease control director,
stated that it was important to reach out to people at higher risk of
contracting the virus. She felt it was important to give them the opportunity
to be tested so that they would know their status and, if positive, be able to
get treatment.
Bennett said that of 21 women
tested, all had negative results; he hoped that the tests increased their
awareness of the disease. He planned to double his efforts so that by September,
the number of people tested could reach the 80s and be more than 100 by the end
of the year. Bennett stated that free mobile testing would be available every
few months, with the next session planned for June. Free HIV testing is
available regularly at the public health department.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
