Retail giant Walmart and MISTR, a telehealth provider that offers free online STD testing, PrEP, DoxyPEP and long-term HIV care, have launched a pilot program to offer free at-home HIV testing kits to customers at seven Walmart stores in Georgia.
The test requires a finger prick, and each kit includes step-by-step instructions and an instruction video to ensure each test is taken correctly.
The pilot program will run while supplies last, with each site initially receiving approximately 3,000 kits.
“The idea is that if there’s a demand, we’ll provide these free HIV testing kits indefinitely,” said Tristan Shucraft, founder and CEO of MISTR. MobiHealthNews “By providing free at-home HIV testing kits, we are empowering people to get tested on their own time, in the comfort and privacy of their own home,” he said in an email.
Additionally, MISTR goes a step further by offering free treatment and access to follow-up care through its telehealth platform in case of positive outcomes.
“Our ultimate goal in providing free HIV testing through Walmart is to stop the HIV epidemic,” Shucraft said. “We’re happy to see no more tests on day one, but our ultimate goal is to end HIV in Atlanta and across the nation.”
He said people in rural areas who have difficulty getting to a clinic need these tests and that Walmart is the ideal partner to provide just that.
“Reaching all communities is important, and Walmart is well positioned in rural areas where free HIV testing is typically not available or patients may not feel comfortable seeking HIV testing from local healthcare providers within their close communities,” he said.
Larger trends
Georgia The highest rate in the country About new HIV infections.
of The CDC recommends Everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should be tested for HIV at least once as part of their routine health care, and those at high risk should be tested at least annually.
Of the 2 million people living with HIV in the United States, an estimated 13% do not know their HIV status, roughly 40% of the new transmission.
Knowing their HIV status allows people who are positive to access HIV treatment, optimising their health, reducing their viral load (the amount of virus in the body) and preventing further transmission.
