7 Straight up benefits for HIV testing

Hey, fam remember, knowing your HIV status always helps. Whether positive or negative, an HIV test can always help you as you aspire for a fancy life with your chakale. People who find out their status will either be linked to treatment if positive, and this can save their lives. If you’re negative it can help you to make informed choices in regard to your sex life and also putting in place mechanisms to keep loved ones safe. People’s attitudes have changed a lot over the years. Stigma related to HIV status has gradually diminished. it is better to know your status because of the following reasons. 

Testing saves your buddies’ lives

People can only start HIV treatment if they know that they are living with the virus. About 9.4 million people worldwide do not know that they are living with HIV. Remember, HIV treatment if administered correctly and consistently, these days, is very effective and people with HIV can live long and healthy lives just like anyone else.

Knowing earlier, starting earlier

The earlier someone is diagnosed as living with HIV, the earlier life-saving treatment can start. And the earlier that HIV treatment is started after infection, the better the outcome. People can live long and healthy lives with early detection of HIV and proper treatment and care.

Staying HIV-free 

An HIV test result opens the door to accessing the range of HIV prevention options available depending on a person’s HIV status to keep themselves and their loved ones HIV-negative.

Looking after loved ones 

Testing is the gateway to treatment and effective treatment is a great HIV prevention tool—it saves lives and prevents HIV transmission. HIV treatment reduces the viral load—the amount of HIV in a person’s body—to undetectable levels. With an undetectable level of HIV, a person can’t pass on the virus to someone else.

Stopping transmission to babies

A pregnant or breastfeeding woman living with HIV can access a range of options that can ensure that she remains healthy and her baby is born HIV-free and stays HIV-free, but only if she knows her HIV status.

Claiming the right to health

By deciding to know their HIV status, people are empowered to make choices about their right to health. 

Staying alive and well

Taking an HIV test can also provide an opportunity to screen and test for other illnesses, such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Saving money and saving lives. 

Don’t believe what people say, that someone looks positive then they might be. If your results check out negative that’s just it – the person is not HIV-positive and is not living with HIV. They can be reassured, but need to bear in mind the window period which is a period of time after a person is infected with HIV but during which they won’t test positive and if they continue to be exposed to HIV should consider repeating an HIV test every 6–12 months.