National Women & Girls HIV Awareness Day, March 10

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 5, 2015

LAS VEGAS – Tuesday, March 10 is the 10th annual observance of National Women and Girls HIV Awareness Day highlighting the impact HIV/AIDS has on women and girls across the country. The Southern Nevada Health District encourages everyone to learn about his or her HIV status. The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Office on Women’s Health estimates that about one in four people living with HIV in the United States are girls or women over the age of 13. Free HIV testing will be available between 10a.m. and 3 p.m., Saturday, March 7 at the Gay & Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada, 401 S. Maryland Parkway. For additional information and testing locations in the community, contact the health district’s Sexual Health Clinic, (702) 759-0702 or visit www.snhd.info/sexual-health-clinic.

DHHS also estimates that half of women living with HIV are getting care and just four in 10 have the virus under control. In addition, many of these women are working and caring for families and some are caregivers for family members with HIV/AIDS giving them unique challenges that can prevent them from seeking needed care and treatment.

Early diagnosis is critical for people who are HIV positive so they can benefit from treatment. It is estimated that nearly 40 percent of people with HIV are not diagnosed until they have developed AIDS, which can occur 10 years after infection. Additional recommendations from the CDC include annual testing for individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behavior or use intravenous drugs. Pregnant women should be tested during the early months of their pregnancy to help eliminate transmission of HIV to their infants.

The Sexual Health Clinic is located at 400 Shadow Lane, Suite 106. Services include confidential testing, counseling, case management and referrals. The health district offers several HIV test options, some with same-day results. In addition to testing at the Sexual Health Clinic, free HIV/ STD screenings are available at the following locations:

Monday – Thursday. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30 – 5 p.m.
Gay & Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada
401 S. Maryland Parkway
(702) 733-9800

Tuesdays. Noon – 5p.m.
Richard Steele Boxing Facility
2475 West Cheyenne Ave., #120
(702) 638-1308

The health district encourages everyone in the community to learn their HIV status. Currently, there are more than 6,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.