As part of World AIDS Day commemorations, Ifakara Health Institute doctors and nurses in collaboration with their St. Francis Referral Hospital counterparts visited Idete Prison in Ifakara where they offered free HIV, TB, malaria and blood pressure tests to the prisoners there.

The tour was made on Sunday, November 30, 2020 ahead of today’s World AIDS Day commemorations. In addition to testing, the doctors and nurses raised awareness on HIV, TB, malaria, blood pressure and non-communicable diseases.

According to the trip team leader, Faraji Abilahi, the doctors and nurses tested a total of 486 prisoners for HIV, TB, malaria, blood pressure and non-communicable diseases, and 32 of them needed additional attention therefore they were referred to hospital for further investigation and treatment.

Today, according to Abilahi, the team would participate in World AIDS Day commemorations organized at the district level by the local authority at Maendeleo Ground in Ifakara. Ifakara participates in similar annual events regularly as a strategy to engage with the communities – who are the key stakeholders.

The World AIDS Day is marked globally on December 1 every year since 1988 with activities designed to raise awareness on the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. In some countries it’s used to mourn those who have died of the disease. #