Community health organization announces free testing in Washington, DC

In an effort to slow the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), the National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC) has announced that on August 4, free HIV/AIDS tests will be made available for people residing in Washington, DC with no healthcare insurance.

Officials from the association selected this location because of the high number of deaths in the area that are linked to HIV. In fact, health officials from the Kaiser Foundation report that a total of 38 individuals for every 100,000 residents in this area die from this virus every year. However, the entire country averages about 3.7 HIV-related deaths per 100,000 people.

Nicole Lamoureux, executive director of NAFC, stated that "patients at the free clinic will be referred to resources in the community for ongoing care." She added that these efforts will "connect uninsured patients to safety-net providers, such as free clinics, federally qualified health centers and hospitals."

Individuals who have unprotected sex could be putting themselves and their partners at a higher risk of contracting an STD. People who are concerned about their health, but are uncomfortable with being screened at a clinic, can benefit from purchasing online testing kits.