Penza, 12 May 2016. PenzaNews. The Penza region began the All-Russian AIDS Test Week campaign on Wednesday, May 11. They will last through May 20.

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One of the main objectives of the campaign is to help citizens test for AIDS.

Anyone can get tested at the Penza AIDS Prevention and Treatment Center on Lermontova street, 30, as well as their local hospitals.

According to information of the Penza dedicated clinical medical assistance center, as many as 74,431 people, or 5.7% of the regional population, were tested by the local Health Ministry institutions alone by 1 May 2016.

The most active medical diagnosis procedures are conducted in Penza and Kamenka – with 9.2% and 6.8% of the city population inspected, respectively.

“A warning from the AIDS Center experts: checking for AIDS is important, but preventing infection is even more important. To prevent risks, use a condom when engaging in sexual intercourse with a partner of an unidentified AIDS infection status. Right now, AIDS in Penza are spreading widely among the drug addicts: it is important not to use dirty needles, and stay away from illegal drugs,” the medical assistance center stressed.

According to the Penza region Ministry of Health, the the region, just like Russia overall, shows an inclining trend in AIDS spread.

By the end of 2015, the spread of AIDS Penza region remained 2.2 times under the Russian countrywide average level – only 63.6 cases per 100,000 population.

A total of 392 people had been diagnosed with AIDS for the first time in 2015, and 125 more in Q1 2016.