“At the Lab without ordo”. This is the name of HIV testing available free of charge in the capital and the Alpes-Maritimes (06) since Monday July 1. Indeed, for one year, it will no longer be necessary to obtain a doctor’s prescription or to advance the costs to carry out the test without paying. The goal ? “Simplify the reflex of HIV screening in the population, in particular in exposed populations, to achieve thegoal to end the epidemic by 2030“indicates the city of Paris in a press release.
Until then, the cost of this examination included the price of the consultation, the act of sampling as well as that of the laboratory test. Expenses partially reimbursed by Social Security and complementary mutual insurance. Tests carried out without a prescription cost around 15 euros. Only those carried out in the Anonymous and Free Screening Centers were, as indicated, anonymous and free.
“Accelerating the end of AIDS”
From now on, it is accessible to anyone who requests it in a medical analysis laboratory, without a prescription and without an appointment. It is 100% covered by health insurance, so the person carrying it out has nothing to advance. She doesn’t even have to have her vital card on her. In the event of a negative test, she will be invited to reschedule a future test to receive information on protection solutions against HIV. On the contrary, if it is positive, she will be referred to a specialized service in less than 48 hours.
By removing the psychological and financial barriers, Paris and the Alpes-Maritimes hope “accelerating the end of AIDS”Explain at CNews Anne Souyris, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of Health. So that he “does not multiply anymore”it is necessary that “90% of the infected population is screened and treated”, she says. The testing departments thus aim to increase the number of screenings carried out over one year by 15%. The experiment should last until June 20, 2020.
In 2017, about 6,400 people discovered their HIV status in France, including 1,000 in Paris and 144 in the Alpes-Maritimes. These are the most affected territories, with respectively 500 and 133 positive diagnoses per million inhabitants. In France, estimates put 25,000 people carrying the virus without knowing it. 38% of infections would thus be due to HIV-positive people who are unaware of each other. However, the earlier it is detected, the better the chances of preventing the development of HIV into AIDS through rapid access to treatment. And also to limit the risk of transmission.
Read also :
- STI: a test to do at home to generalize screening
- HIV screening: towards faster tests with the mobile phone
