Joe Purnell and his staff at Neighborhood United Against Drugs (NUAD) have been working to improve Southwest Philadelphia for three decades. NUAD has been providing free HIV testing and linkage to primary medical care, referrals to Drug & Alcohol and mental services, and referral to other needed social services is now providing free HIV Home Test Kits to those in need. The test can be delivered to a house or it can be picked up at NUAD. The rapid results are given in only 20 minutes.
The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. About 1 in 10 people in Philadelphia who have HIV don’t know they have it. Taking HIV medicines can help keep your immune system strong. Plus, if you get and keep an undetectable viral load you cannot pass HIV on to your sexual partners or to your baby if you’re pregnant. If you’re HIV negative, you can also take one pill every day to prevent HIV. This is called PrEP. People who are sexually active should get tested for HIV every 3 months.
NUAD’s mission is to reduce drug use/abuse, teen pregnancy, chronic illness, the spread of HIV infection, and senseless violence in the community. Programs and activities are designed to educate and equip people with the skills needed to make positive choices in life. The organization is located at 5214 Woodland Avenue.
For more information call 215-724-7430 or visit PhillyKeepOnLoving.com for more information about HIV.