By Kenny Macdonald
Buffalo, NY – Community health advocates and religious leaders are teaming up to motivate African Americans to get tested for HIV/AIDS.
Wednesday is the seventh annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. More than half of all people in the nation infected with HIV are African-American. And one-third do not know that they are.
Nadia Pizzaro of the American Red Cross Buffalo Chapter says the testing is quick and painless.
"They take a tiny bit of blood from a finger prick, or they do a mouth swab for people who are afraid of needles," Pizzaro said. "It's a very simple process. I assume they'll be doing rapid testing so that people will know their results before they leave. There is post-test counseling."
The free HIV screenings will be held Wednesday afternoon at the Frank Merriwether Library, Sheehan Memorial Hospital and Delavan Grider Community Center.