PHOENIX – July 2, 2024 – Spectrum Medical Care Center partnered with Walgreens for National HIV Testing Day. On this day thousands of testing events occur simultaneously across the country. In Phoenix the main message from Spectrum, in relation to HIV status, was “the risk is not knowing”. At the conclusion of the 8-hour free testing event, Spectrum Medical Care Center had tested 81 people and consulted with nearly double that amount.
“The only way to calm apprehension associated with HIV testing is to normalize it, which is why testing events at places like a neighborhood pharmacy make great sense,” said Victor E. Avila, Director of Marketing and Community Engagement at Spectrum Medical. “Our outreach team spent quality time with every person who stopped by to see us. This one-to-one attention changes people’s lives and makes a long- term impact on public health.”
“Testing is the first step in stopping the HIV epidemic,” said Dr. Thanes Vanig, founder and Chief Medical Officer of Spectrum Medical Care Center. “Following an HIV test, if treatment is needed, today’s modern medicines permit people to live long, active, normal lives. Once on treatment a patient’s viral load is undetectable and therefore untransmittable, what we refer to as “U = U”, which in turn stops the virus in its tracks.”
According to Greater Than HIV, an estimated one in seven people living with HIV in the U.S. are unaware of their status. Recent state data indicates a 20% increase in HIV cases from 2021 to 2022. And despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a consistent upward trend in HIV testing since 2020. In 2022, 79% of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS were linked to care within 30 days of their diagnosis.
Spectrum projects that through its medical facility and community outreach events it will conduct more than 6,000 HIV tests this year. Their U.B.U. Crew engages with hundreds of people monthly to educate them about the importance of getting tested and maintaining sexual health. Following a reactive diagnosis to an HIV test, Spectrum Medical’s professionals work to set up individualized treatment plans, which may include daily antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Whether a person tests positive or negative, Spectrum Medical provides patients with the necessary tools to ensure optimal health and guides them through their wellness journeys.
“The personalized treatment at Spectrum Medical is designed to control infection, manage symptoms, and to end HIV,” added Vanig.