Leading HIV Advocacy Group offering Free HIV Test
HIV awareness and advocacy organization LoveYourself hosted #HackingHIV as part of its launch activities to introduce PrEP, an HIV prevention method, in the Philippines. In conjunction with project PrEP Pilipinas, in-charge of introducing the innovation into the country, the event was held at Greenbelt 3’s myCinema in Makati City last 29 November.
Supported by Philippine Department of Health, AmFAR and World Health Organization, LoveYourself was the chosen organization to pioneer the launching of PrEP in the Philippines under the banner program #PrEPPilipinas Program in which initial demonstration is envisioned to be executed within the first quarter of 2017.
Admittedly, getting tested for HIV is not one of the easiest things you’ll ever do in your life – in fact, it can be one of the most unnerving experiences you’ll ever have to go through. There are a myriad of reasons why you are getting tested – it may be a follow-up test to your previous result several months ago, or a requirement for getting recruited overseas, or you just simply decided to take the plunge and get yourself tested for the first time. Regardless of the reason, it’s difficult to really get the hang of it – whether it’s your first or fifth time getting tested. In any case, getting tested is the only definitive way to know whether you will turn out “reactive” or “nonreactive”.
LoveYourself counselor and single dad Monching has had his fair share of ups and downs, but his unwavering spirit and constant inspirations in life have gotten him through hell and high water time and time again.
LoveYourself Incognito, the country’s first community-based HIV screening for men that asks for no names, uses no forms, and is highly confidential, is set for May 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Victoria Court Malate.
Not all people respond the same way to HIV. Marahil mahirap tanggapin ng sarili ang katotohanan tungkol sa kaniyang HIV status kapag ito’y reactive, na siyang dahilan kung bakit marami sa mga PLHIV ay nagtatago na lamang sa labis na kahihiyan sa halip na humingi ng tulong upang magpagamot. At ito na nga ang tinatawag nilang stigma. Masasabi ko na marahil hindi talaga lubusang maihahanda ng mga HIV awareness programs ang mga damdamin ng isang tao kapag siya ay binabalitaan na siya mismo ay may HIV. Maaari nating sabihin na ang stigma, sa kabila ng ating pagsisikap na labanan ito, ay hindi lubusang mapapawi.
LoveYourself welcomes its first batch of newly-recruited volunteers for 2016, collectively known as Batch Kinaadman.
LoveYourself recently held its HIV testing day last November 29 at Victoria Court North EDSA, located just several blocks away from the Balintawak junction. LoveYourself holds HIV testing days biannually, with the previous one held last May 17 at Victoria Court Malate. With the latest HIV testing day’s venue, LoveYourself aims to reach out to clients from Bulacan and the northwest portion of Metropolitan Manila.
If you’ve been in this situation or a similar circumstance, don’t worry, you’re not the only one who has been misinformed. LoveYourself has always received queries online and even from walk-in clients about their supposed symptoms of HIV.
LoveYourself once again welcomes another batch of volunteers collectively known as Batch Katha, the third group to be enlisted by the free HIV testing advocacy this year.