European HIV Testing Week Kicks Off in Luxembourg

The European HIV Testing Week started today, Monday 22 November 2021, in Luxembourg and is taking place until 29 November 2021.

As World AIDS Day (1 December) approaches, the HIV Berodung service of the Luxembourg Red Cross is organising, with the support of the Ministry of Health, its annual activities aimed at preventing new infections and to show solidarity with people living with HIV.

The slogan of this European Testing Week campaign is "Test-Treat-Prevent".

"40 years after the appearance of the first cases of AIDS, we are far from the distress generated at the time when the diagnosis of seropositivity was announced", affirmed Paulette Lenert, Luxembourg's Minister of Health. "In 2021, taking an HIV test must more than ever be a spontaneous preventive action".

Test: The screening test remains the only way to know if a person is infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or not. Indeed, once in the body, HIV gradually attacks the immune system, but it will take several years before weakening them and seeing the appearance of symptoms linked to the development of opportunistic diseases.

Treat: Once HIV infection is detected, antiretroviral treatment neutralises the virus, which can then no longer continue to multiply and destroy the immune system. The sooner this treatment is started, the better it will be in maintaining the health of the person living with HIV.

Prevention: With antiretroviral therapy, the amount of HIV in the body will be reduced to the point of being undetectable. An undetectable viral load means that the amount of virus in the body is so low that it is no longer enough to infect a sexual partner.

Antiretroviral testing and treatment are therefore among the essential prevention tools to reduce new HIV infections. "Thanks to antiretroviral treatments, and in particular triple therapy, a person living with HIV can manage their daily life, their life plans and their desire for children like others", explained Sandy Kubaj, manager of the HIV Berodung service.

It is possible to take a quick, free and anonymous test at the HIV Berodung service (94 Boulevard Général Patton) on Monday and Wednesday throughout the year from 17:00 to 19:00, as well as at the LGBTIQ + Cigale centre (16 Rue Notre Dame) on Thursdays from 12:30 to 14:30.

Moreover, Bionext and Ketterthill laboratories will offer free HIV screening blood tests during this week. More information is available on www.dimps.lu.

"Love Baguette" - the solidarity baguette

The "Love Baguette" initiative will also run from 22 November until 1 December 2021. For the third year in a row, Namur is supporting the prevention actions of the HIV Berodung service of the Luxembourg Red Cross by making special baguettes. These are put on sale at a price of €2.20 of which €1.00 is paid for the benefit of the service. The “Love Baguette” is the result of raw materials and traditional French know-how. "Red label" flour is guaranteed without additives and is selected for its taste and colour. 

Solidarity around the commemorative tree

In 2020, the ASBL Paticka symbolically handed over the commemorative tree, planted in 2016 in memory of people who died of AIDS but also a symbol of support for all people living with HIV, to the HIV Berodung service of the Luxembourg Red Cross.

On 26 November 2021 at 10:30, the HIV Berodung service is organising a ceremony a few days before World AIDS Day around this commemorative tree. Members of the service, the AIDS Watch Committee and those concerned will lay a wreath in honour of the deceased and in support of people living with HIV. Anyone wishing to show their support is invited to attend this gathering at Parc de l'Europe in Dommeldange.