On December 1, World AIDS Day, IOM Armenia joined up with the National AIDS Centre and UNAIDS to organize public events in the capital Yerevan and the city of Gyumri.

During the events, passers-by had the opportunity to get free HIV / AIDS, Hepatitis B, C and Syphilis tests at a mobile clinic run by National Centre for AIDS Prevention and learn their status in just 15 minutes.

Staff and volunteers carried out awareness raising campaigns for passers-by, and provided pre- and post-test consultations.

In total, 222 people were surveyed and learned their status.

The event was organized within the framework of the project funded by the Government of the Russian Federation with the support of UNAIDS, the SPID-Infosvaz Foundation, and the International Organization for Migration.

“Everyone can contribute to the AIDS response through getting to know their HIV status as early as possible, raising their awareness on HIV prevention, practicing safer behaviour, and eliminating stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV,” Samvel Grigoryan, MD, PhD, DSc, professor, Director of the National Center for AIDS Prevention said during the event in Yerevan.

The International Organization for Migration and the National Center for AIDS Prevention have a long history of collaboration. In the last six years more than 72,000 migrants and members of their families benefited from testing services.