The Ministry of Public Health and Department of Disease Control invites organizations from all sectors including the public to the campaign described as “Know your status”.
This is a good opportunity for the public to understand and know the importance of early detection of HIV disease. For those who are at risks of being infected with HIV, you can now have free HIV test, free check and free treatment.
For Thai citizens, simply present the 13-digit Thai Citizen Identification Number to get a free check for HIV infection twice a year. Currently, with the modern technology and medicine used in Thai hospitals, HIV can easily be detected within one day.
People who should be tested for HIV are those who have frequent unsafe sex activities. Infections can be detected even after a month of being contracted from the disease. If the HIV is tested positive, the hospital will immediately precede the necessary treatment.
For early detection of HIV, Anti-retroviral Therapy treatment will be applied and, has been proven that it prevents the disease from spreading and has cure the infection in a short length of time. The HIV infected person will gradually recover.
Continuous medication will be advised until the virus is cured thus, reduce the chance of transmitting the disease to others.
If the treatment is delayed, or if the detection was in a late stage, the infected person will show signs of weakness in his and eventually would cause other complications, which makes it more difficult to treat or cure.
For Thais with ‘gold card’ health insurance and civil servants, they can get free treatment in all hospitals under the National Health Insurance policy nationwide. As for the social security insurance holders, free treatments are provided only at specified hospitals.
In addition, people under the age of 18 can also receive HIV testing services without the consent of their parents.
