Mobile HIV/AIDS buses are operating in Tehran and five other cities since December 3 and will continue to offer services for 18 days until Dec. 20.
Based on the schedule announced by the AIDS Department of the Health Ministry, in Tehran the buses were present in Felestin Street and Vali Asr Square on December 6-8. On Friday and Saturday they will be stationed at Pounak Square and move to Shahrak-e Gharb on Dec. 11 and 12.
The mobile services will be later provided in Enqelab Square (Dec. 13, 14), Nour Square in Kashani Street (Dec. 15, 30), Azadi Bus Terminal (Dec. 16, 17), Sadeqiyeh Metro Station (Dec. 18), and Ekbatan (Dec. 19), said Parvin Kazerouni, head of the department, IRNA reported.
"Those interested can get complete information about the disease at the mobile centers as well as at the ministry's AIDS website www.hiv-sti.ir."
The mobile AIDS bus project was initiated on the occasion of the World AIDS Day (Dec. 1) and is being carried out in the western districts of Tehran in cooperation with the Health Ministry, the Welfare and Social Services Organization of Tehran Municipality, and Iran University of Medical Sciences, besides the NGO, Mobile Messengers.
Free Screening
It aims to raise public awareness on the deadly disease, and provide preventive methods as well as sex education, while offering tests free of charge.
A physician, nurse, and psychologist is on board to provide people with essential information and services. Test results will be ready within 10-20 minutes and the bus will also give referrals on request. The test offered at the mobile clinics is of the basic kind (known as rapid tests) that determines if a person has symptoms of HIV infection within 10 minutes. Those tested positive are referred to medical centers for a more thorough screening. The project will later cover other areas in the capital.
The counseling and HIV test is also available on Dec. 10, 12 and 19 in Almahdi Park, Tajrish Square, Darya Boulevard, Park Shahr, Park Daneshjoo and Sadeqiyeh Metro Station respectively, organized by an NGO.
Besides Tehran, similar buses operate in Shiraz, Sanandaj, Isfahan, Kermanshah and Bushehr.
Based on the latest Health Ministry data, around 33,270 people have been diagnosed with HIV in Iran of whom 9,000 have lost their lives and the rest are receiving treatment. It is estimated that around 75,000 people across the country are infected with the virus, over 40,000 of whom are unidentified.
