LAS VEGAS – The annual World AIDS Day is Sun., Dec. 1. In commemoration, the Southern Nevada Health District and its community partners will observe the occasion with free testing at several locations on Mon. Dec. 1. For more information, contact the Southern Nevada Health District Sexual Health Clinic (702) 759-0702 or visit www.SNHD.INFO for additional testing sites

In Clark County, more than 9,000 Southern Nevadans have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS with more than 3,000 deaths from the illness since 1992. More than 3,500 Southern Nevadans are living with HIV and there are more than 2,800 AIDS cases locally. A study by UNAIDS, a joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS, noted that approximately 33 million people worldwide are living with HIV.

The health district’s Sexual Health Clinic will offer free rapid HIV testing at the following locations on Mon. Dec. 1:

Sexual Health Clinic                                                                    Gay & Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada
8a.m.-4:30 p.m.                                                                              10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m./1:30 p.m.-5 p.m.
400 Shadow Lane, Ste. 106                                                                       401 S. Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas, NV                                                                                                            Las Vegas, NV
(702) 759-0702                                                                                                   (702) 733-9800
Free Rapid HIV testing                                                                                    www.thecenterlv.org

Commemorative activities at the Gay & Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada include a welcome reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by a panel discussion, an inspirational service, a candlelight vigil, and a screening of the film, The Normal Heart at 9 p.m. In addition, visitors can view pieces of the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, Sun. Dec. 1.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1.1 million people over the age of 13 are living with HIV infection in the United States. There are approximately 50,000 new HIV infections each year, a number that has remained stable since the mid-1990s. Several years ago, the CDC recommended that voluntary HIV testing become routine for patients between the ages of 13 and 64.

World AIDS Day was adopted in 1988 by representatives of 140 countries at the World Summit of Ministers of Health on AIDS. The day serves as an opportunity for governments, non-governmental and local organizations, AIDS programs and individuals to increase awareness and demonstrate solidarity in the fight against AIDS.

In addition to the traditional blood test, the Southern Nevada Health District offers two types of rapid HIV testing that provide same-day results. Both rapid tests are $25 and are administered Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. and noon. All HIV testing at the health district is confidential and is available at the Sexual Health Clinic, 400 Shadow Lane, Suite 106. An administrative fee of $10 is collected for all testing.

In addition to testing, the Southern Nevada Health District’s HIV/AIDS program includes counseling, case management, outreach efforts and community referrals.

Weekly HIV and STD testing opportunities are available at the following locations:

Monday – Thursday
Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada
Free HIV/STD screenings
10:30a.m. -12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.
1:30p-5p on Thursdays
401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas 89101
(702) 733-9800

Tuesday
Community Counseling Center of Southern Nevada
Free HIV, hepatitis B&C screenings/hepatitis A/B vaccinations*
9a.m.-5 p.m.
714 E. Sahara Ave., Ste. 101, Las Vegas 89104
(702) 369-8700
*Testing at the Community Counseling Center is funded by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Only clients determined to be at high-risk for infection are eligible for testing. All other clients will be referred to another testing site.

Tuesday
Richard Steele Boxing Facility
Free HIV testing/STD screenings
Noon-5 p.m.
2475 W. Cheyenne Ave., Ste. 120
North Las Vegas, 89032
(702) 638-1308

Southern Nevada Health District can be found on Facebook www.facebook.com/SouthernNevadaHealthDistrict, on YouTube www.youtube.com/SNHealthDistrict or Twitter: www.twitter.com/SNHDinfo. The health district is now available in Spanish on Twitter www.twitter.com/TuSNHD. Don’t have a Twitter account? Follow the health district on your phone by texting “follow SNHDinfo” to 40404.