North Philly Nonprofit Aims To Prevent Spread Of HIV
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Monday was National HIV Testing Day -- and the country's first African-American-focused HIV organization rolled out its testing efforts.
"People who know their status are less likely to transmit the disease," says Tameka Matthews, Prevention Supervisor at Bebashi -- Transition to Hope.
For the past 30 years, the nonprofit has worked to prevent the spread of HIV. On Monday, the group opened three free testing sites in North Philadelphia, rapid testing more than 60 people. They want more, but it's hard with misconceptions like.
"If I'm not gay then I may not be at risk, I don't have multiple partners so I'm not at risk," Matthews says, "but anyone who is having unprotected sex, they need to get tested."
Matthews says of the 2,000 people Bebashi tested in the past year. just under 2 percent tested positive.