Any subjects panicking about possibly being infected with AIDS can get tested anonymously without revealing their name, social security number, or address at a public health center near downtown Seoul. The city has detected 1,064 infected individuals early through anonymous rapid testing.
Seoul City announced on the 2nd that it will offer the HIV Quick Test, which shows results within 30 minutes, at 25 district public health centers. The city supports free anonymous testing for anyone, regardless of their place of residence or nationality.
Seoul City was the first local government to introduce the HIV Quick Test in 2015 and has conducted 151,932 tests over the past eight years, detecting 1,064 infected individuals early.
Despite the reduction in general operations as all health centers switched to a quarantine system during the COVID-19 pandemic, the city continued to conduct AIDS rapid testing. As a result, the city detected over 300 infected individuals early and provided treatment and management support between 2020 and 2022.
The HIV Quick Test is an uncomplicated method of collecting a drop of blood from a finger and screening for the possibility of infection. The individual receives the results within 30 minutes.
However, as antibodies may not be detected in the early stages of infection, the test result may be negative. Therefore, getting tested about four weeks after any behavior that may have led to infection is recommended to get accurate results through rapid testing.
Suppose abnormalities are found in the rapid test. In that case, a detailed examination is requested at the Seoul Metropolitan Government Institute of Health and Environment, and the final confirmation of the diagnosis is made based on the positive diagnosis criteria.
In case of diagnosed with an infection, the Seoul City government provides partial support for AIDS-related treatment costs. Through the health center, it arranges for treatment at medical institutions and provides consultation support.
Seoul City emphasized that early detection through voluntary testing is essential to protect everyone’s health, including one’s own, from the risk of AIDS infection. If you are worried about infection, never hesitate to get tested.
Kim Tae Hee, the Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Citizen Health Bureau, stated that the HIV Quick Test is available all year round at 25 district health centers, so citizens worried about infection should not worry about personal information exposure and get tested as soon as possible. Furthermore, he assured that Seoul City will do its best to provide counseling and support for infected citizens.
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