Offering FREE HIV Testing in Recognition of National HIV Testing Day

Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida

Offering FREE HIV Testing in Recognition of National HIV Testing Day

Part of “GYT: Get Yourself Tested!” National Campaign

[SARASOTA] — On Tuesday, June 29, Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida (PPSWCF) will offer free HIV testing to encourage men and women who have been sexually active to get tested for HIV, in recognition of National HIV Testing Day in late June. Planned Parenthood will offer the free test at its Sarasota health center (736 Central Ave.) from 3:00-6:00pm.

Patients can request an appointment by calling (941) 567-3800 or online at www.MyPlannedParenthood.org; walk-ins are also welcome.

The event is an initiative of the “Get Yourself Tested” (GYT) campaign, which aims to normalize and encourage STD testing among young people. 

“National HIV Testing Day is a great reminder to get yourself tested for HIV and other STDs,” said PPSWCF Medical Director Dr. Sujatha Prabhakaran. “When it comes to your health and the health of your partner, the best ways to protect yourselves are through regular testing and consistent use of condoms.” 

By age 25, half of all sexually active young people will contract an STD – and many will not know it, putting their own and the health of their partner(s) at risk. Recognizing this reality, the GYT campaign, a collaboration between Planned Parenthood, MTV, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and the Kaiser Family Foundation, encourages Americans under age 25 to talk with their health care providers and partners about getting tested. 

According to the CDC, one in five of the more than one million Americans living with HIV doesn’t know it. In fact, many STDs, including HIV, show no symptoms for many years.