Free HIV testing will be offered at Durango’s Planned Parenthood on Tuesday in recognition of World AIDs Day.
From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the clinic, at 44 Suttle St., will offer the testing. Walk-in appointments are welcome.
World AIDs Day, held annually Dec. 1, was instituted in 1988 to raise awareness about the AIDs epidemic and now focuses on education and prevention surrounding the virus.
Every year, organizers select a specific theme, which has ranged from “Universal Access and Human Rights” to “Stigma and Discrimination” to “Community Commitment.”
This year’s theme is “Getting to Zero,” which places an emphasis on eliminating new HIV infections, discrimination and AIDS-related deaths.
Colorado health officials are on board.
In Denver, health officials signed the Paris Declaration in August, vowing to end AIDs cases in the city by 2030 by enacting a set of aggressive goals.
According to statistics provided by the San Juan Basin Health Department, as of December 2014, there were 46 individuals in La Plata County with HIV or AIDs, which is a prevalence rate of about 0.4 percent.
The health department offers free HIV testing year-round.
