Testing Encouraged As World AIDS Day Is Observed

PROVINCETOWN – December 1st is recognized as World AIDS Day.

According to the World Health Organization, 630,000 people died from HIV-related illnesses last year, while 39.9 million people were counted living with the virus.

Jeffery Schaffer is a Provincetown clinician living with HIV who leads the Outer Cape Health Services program “Test-N-Treat”, which was started in 2019.

“It was nothing that Outer Cape Health Services wasn’t doing already, it just made it accessible for those who were either uninsured or underinsured. We provide HIV case management, we also provide access to STI testing and treatment, including HIV, Hep-C,” said Schaffer.

“Test-N-Treat” also offers HIV patients access to pre-and-post-exposure prophylaxis.

Schaffer says it’s important for people to reduce stigma and be empathetic towards those who are impacted by this disease.