National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD) is Monday, April 18, a time to focus on HIV testing and status awareness, as well as HIV prevention and treatment for transgender and nonbinary people.

In 2022, the transgender community continues to be disproportionately impacted by HIV. Transgender women are estimated to be 49 times more likely to be living with HIV compared to the general population. Additionally, among the five boroughs of New York City, the Bronx had the second highest number of new HIV diagnoses in 2020, and the highest percentage of HIV deaths. Due to the COVID pandemic, HIV testing slowed dramatically. HIV testing in New York conducted through AIDS Institute-funded sites averaged well over 2,500 tests per month in 2019. But that tally dipped below 500 tests per month in April 2020 and did not reach 2,000 tests in any given month through June 2021.

On 10 am on April 18, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Amida Care will be joined by advocates and health care providers for a special event and a press conference in honor of National Transgender HIV Testing Day.  The event, which will be held at Destination Tomorrow (2134 Barnes Avenue) in the Bronx, will highlight health disparities faced by people of transgender experience in that borough, and encourage them to get tested to learn their HIV status and learn about HIV prevention and treatment. Free testing for HIV and COVID will be available as well as COVID vaccinations.

Among those speaking at the press conference will be Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson; Sandrine Blake, Assistant Director of Member Events at Amida Care; Lailani Muniz, Bronx community activist, Amida Care member, and Damian Family Care Center employee; Dr. Binu Kuriakose, Medical Director, Urgent Care, Essen Health Care; and Mimi Shelton, Director of Trans Initiatives at Destination Tomorrow.

Anyone wishing to attend this free event, please RSVP by email:  rsvp@amidacareny.org.

The event will also be aired live on BronxNet TV and via livestream on bronxnet.tv.