GET TESTED
Widows and Orphans International (WOI) is a community organisation based in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. We are registered as a charity to promote health, socio-economic and cultural development of African communities in the UK through improving their knowledge, fighting disease, poverty and social exclusion. The organisation provides a wider range of health and social care support services that work towards reduction of the health inequalities in the local community.
Within our health programme, we provide Sexual Health/HIV/AIDS services including community outreach for better HIV and Sexual Health services, HIV/AIDS service users support group, promoting HIV testing as well as providing skills and employment training to service users across six London boroughs.
WOI is currently funded by the Barking and Dagenham NHS Primary Care Trust to promote HIV testing among the Black and Minority Ethnic communities in Barking and Dagenham.
Data from the Health Protection Agency- SOPHID shows that African communities are testing later than other ethnic groups in the UK with very low CD4 count. Most of these people are being diagnosed in other departments when they come in with other illnesses, which reduce the effectiveness of current HIV treatments.
The HIV testing campaign was developed to encourage Black and Minority Ethnic communities to consider the benefits of testing.
HIV testing is a key component in controlling the spread of HIV infection. For those who test positive for HIV, awareness can help them take precautions or steps to protect their own health and that of their partners, thus avoiding further transmission. For those who test negative, the testing process is an opportunity to get informed and take action to avoid risks and stay healthy.
Project Aim
The aim of this project is to provide information that will encourage members of Black and Minority Ethnic communities to take up HIV testing opportunities and access available health services within Barking & Dagenham.
Project Objectives
Some of the objectives include:
- To increase the number of people who are accessing Voluntary Counselling and Testing amongst the target groups
- To promote and increase participation in the testing campaigns
- To increase access to HIV and generic sexual health services in Barking and Dagenham including the GUM clinic, GP and other HIV Clinical and social services
- To promote safer sex and raise awareness about STIs including HIV amongst African communities
Charity Registered in England & Wales number: 1077039 Company number: 5789181