Louisville Metro Health Department will offer free, anonymous HIV testing at various sites throughout to community to commemorate National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on February 7th.  The Health Department will also offer free HIV testing at various sites throughout the community for three weeks following February 7th.  Testing will use the Orasure method, a simple swab of the mouth that does not require any blood to be drawn. 

“Seventy-two African-Americans across America are infected with HIV every day,” said Metro Health Director, Dr. Adewale Troutman. 

The testing is part of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness and Information Day.  Louisville is one of more than 100 cities across the U.S. that will sponsor programs on February 7, 2006 and in the weeks following to call attention to the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in the African American community and to seek solutions to halt the epidemic. 

African-Americans make up approximately 13 percent of the population of the United States, yet almost half of the total AIDS cases reported in this country are among members of the Black community.  In 2003, more African Americans were reported to have HIV/AIDS than any other racial or ethnic group. 

In Louisville Africa-Americans comprise 19.8% of the population, yet 48% of all new AIDS cases in the area are among African-Americans.  Forty-four percent of those currently living with AIDS in the Louisville area are African-American.  Forty-two percent of those who have already died of AIDS in the Louisville area were African-American.  In 2004, the AIDS rate for African-Americans in Jefferson County was almost 3.5 times the IDS rate for white Jefferson County residents.

Free food and Free Anonymous HIV testing using the OraSure method will be available:

In addition to the above testing dates, HIV Prevention Staff will be at the following locations

to offer HIV/AIDS education and help raise awareness.