Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter

WESTERN BUREAU:

The grounds of the Montego Bay Civic Centre in Sam Sharpe Square were transformed into a mobile HIV unit as scores of residents gathered for the free sex education, HIV testing and counselling which formed a part of the St. James Public Health Services World AIDS Day exposition and concert on Thursday.

At the end of the day, 475 persons were tested for HIV using the quick test method. An annual event which precedes the World AIDS Day celebrations on December 1, the expo seeks to educate persons suffering from lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and diabetes with a special emphasis on HIV/AIDS prevention.

"Worldwide December 1 is observed as World AIDS Day and, in St. James, what we are actually doing is kicking off our campaign on November 30," explained Marceleen Wheatle, health education/health promotion specialist with the St. James Public Health Services.

Join in solidarity

"The whole purpose behind today is to join in solidarity with persons who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and also to heighten awareness to the individual's responsibility - and the society at large - to its role in fighting the epidemic."

The launch pad for the health department's yearlong campaign, the exposition, which opened at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday with HIV testing and counselling, also featured a concert where representatives from the 'Bashy Bus' performed alongside person such Brushy One String, Suzanne Perkins and local acts such as Golden Voice.

When The Gleaner arrived just after midday, there were long lines outside of the civic centre's auditorium for free HIV testing and counselling.

"There are nine pretesting sites. At each site we assess risk and bring persons to a point where they are able to perceive themselves to be at risk to infection," said Melonie Walcott, behaviour change and communication officer.

"The test takes less than an hour so that they will know their status before they leave. We have two post testing sites as well."

According to Ms. Wheatle, the 2006-2007 HIV/AIDS campaign will focus on persons living in the western city's inner-city communities.

"Last year we tested about 170 persons during our one-day exposition and this year we hope to double that figure," she said. "For the yearlong campaign we had gone to rural communities and carried out testing; this year we are going into the inner-city communities."

According to Ministry of Health data, St. James has the highest number of reported AIDS (not HIV) cases as of June 2006 with 929 persons per 100,000. This data represents one in every 100 persons as infected with AIDS in the parish.