AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The beginning of January 2015 marks the next stepping stone in AHF Europe community-led HIV testing activities in the Netherlands: the re-launch of its on-site and outreach services under a new name: AHF Checkpoint.nl.
AHF Checkpoint.nl offers free and easy low-threshold HIV testing at the testing premises in Amsterdam (Jodenbreestraat 158), at its mobile testing van and at several outdoor and indoor testing events throughout the year in the Netherlands. We offer confidential walk-in HIV rapid testing in a safe, non-judgmental environment, same-day results and referral to STI testing facilities. And AHF Checkpoint.nl works in the afternoons and evenings, on weekends—the times that often work best for our clients.
According to Stichting HIV Monitoring, there are 25,000 people living with HIV in the Netherlands, 27% of them do not know their status and 40% of the newly diagnosed are diagnosed in a late stage of infection, which might have implications both for individual and public health. Standard options for HIV testing in the Netherlands include getting tested at an STI outpatient clinic, at a GP, at hospitals, and recently, home testing.
"Since the start of AHF’s operations in April 2012 to date we tested more than 5,300 clients, representing different communities affected by HIV in the Netherlands including men having sex with men (MSM) and migrant communities. Such uptake of services indicates that there is a need for low-threshold HIV testing facilities like ours in the Netherlands," says Zoya Shabarova, the Chief of AHF Europe Bureau. "The success of our services to date and the need of community-led interventions made us take the next step and strengthen our work and visibility in the Netherlands."
"We are extremely honored about the future collaboration with the co-founders and coordinators of the previous Checkpoint Amsterdam: Stan van Loon and William Koevoets in the role of the quality supervisors associated to the AHF Checkpoint.nl," says Anna Żakowicz, AHF Europe Advocacy and Partnership Director. "We are assured that their expertise in running the Checkpoint Amsterdam, bold and innovative ideas to reach the MSM communities will further strengthen our work to serve those in need."
The Checkpoint Amsterdam was founded in 2002 as the first Checkpoint in Europe, and offered HIV rapid testing to over 5,000 clients until its closure in 2008. The percentage of positive cases found in the program often exceeded those in traditional facilities. The average prevalence among MSM clients during the years of operations was 5.9% compared to 4.2% at the GGD Amsterdam at the same time.
"The goals for AHF Checkpoint.nl in 2015 include reaching 4,000 people in need with the rapid HIV testing and counseling services, also people who were newly infected by HIV, supporting them with referral and linkage to care and starting early treatment," added Żakowicz. "As a leading organization providing HIV rapid testing at the community level through our own programs and through partnerships in Europe, we look forward to expanding our services in the Netherlands and working together with other organizations to strengthen the HIV response in Europe."
AHF Checkpoint.nl is located in Jodenbreestraat 158 (1st floor), and is open on Thu-Fri-Sat from 13.00-19.00. Anyone can come by without an appointment, call 020 620 6261, email to Amsterdam@aidshealth.org or check the website: www.ahfcheckpoint.nl for more information.
For more information, please contact Anna Żakowicz at anna.zakowicz@aidshealth.org, tel. +31628744655.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to nearly 367,000 individuals in 36 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare
