TEHRAN — A bus will be stationed in western Tehran to offer free of charge HIV counseling and testing, said an official in charge of implementing the plan, the Mehr news agency reported on Friday.

Doctor Mohammadreza Seyed Qasemi explained that the bus is intended to raise public awareness about HIV and to offer gratuitous services for 18 nights.

“A medical team accompanied with a group of psychologists will be present in the bus,” he said, adding, “The bus will stay in each busy and crowded district of western Tehran for two nights and then move to another one.”

It is a pilot scheme which will be extended to other districts in Tehran in the near future, he noted.

Those who believe they might be infected with the virus and refer to the bus voluntarily will be provided with free HIV screening tests and they can get the results within 10 to 20 minutes after the test, he highlighted.

“The test results are completely accurate and are done using accredited facilities,” he added.

Qasemi also mentioned that the plan is being implemented in collaboration with the Health Ministry and the Tehran Municipality.

Unfortunately, the number of those infected with HIV virus is approximately three times more than the figures announced by the Health Ministry as many who carry the virus are not diagnosed properly yet.

“Preventing HIV transmission particularly by confining risky sexual behavior that increases one's risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections is solely possible through enhancing public awareness,” Qasemi said.

Once HIV positive individuals were mainly those who were abusing drugs and sharing syringe but now the virus is mostly spreading among those with risky sexual behavior, he regretted.

As announced by the AIDS Department of the Health Ministry, so far more than 29,000 have been diagnosed with HIV in the country.

MQ