This week, the Department of Health will celebrate National Women and Girls HIV Day with a special forum designed to raise awareness about the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls in the Virgin Islands. The forum will be held this Wednesday, March 10th beginning at 6:00 pm at the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Center on St. Thomas. 

Statistics show that nationwide, a woman tests positive every 35 minutes for HIV and that more women have become infected since the disease was first reported in the early 1980s.Today, one in four Americans living with HIV are women.

Commissioner Sheen is encouraging women to participate next week’s forum and urged them to make an appointment to get tested. She noted that the department offers free testing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, at clinics in both the St. Thomas-St. John and St. Croix districts.

"Our Rapid Response testing makes it easy for residents to know their status. Testing is free and results can be known in just 20 minutes," she said

STD/HIV/TB Director Gritell Martinez said that the forum is part of a nationwide celebration each year to and is being sponsored by the US Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Women’s Health. She is also urging women to get tested, adding that in In 2009, of the 29 HIV/AIDS cases reported in the Virgin Islands, 45% were women.

Educational material on HIV/AIDS will be distributed and DOH staff will be available to answer questions at the forum. Residents interested in attending should call 340-774-3168 to RSVP or to request for further details.