Loretto Hospital Offering Free HIV Testing and STI Screenings throughout June
In recognition of National HIV Testing Day, Loretto Hospital is offering free HIV testing and STI (sexually transmitted infection) screenings to uninsured or underinsured residents of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood and surrounding west side communities throughout the month of June.
According to the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) HIV/STI Data Report released last October, Austin had the second highest number of new HIV infection diagnoses of all Chicago neighborhoods in 2020. While the total number of Chicagoans diagnosed with HIV or AIDS was the lowest in four decades, non-Hispanic Blacks represented a disproportionate 50 percent of all new cases. The viral suppression rate among Austin residents diagnosed with HIV was 54 percent as opposed to 60 percent citywide.
“Free testing is a first step in ensuring members of our community living with or vulnerable to HIV have access the healthcare services they need, including the medication regimen that treats HIV and leads to viral suppression,” said Carlos Zambrano, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Loretto Hospital and an infectious disease specialist. “Viral suppression means these individuals can live a high-quality life with reduced risk of passing HIV to others.”
Beyond HIV, the free program will include screening for other STIs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, all of which, according to the CDPH report, are on the rise, especially among younger Chicagoans.
Free HIV testing and STI screening services are available, both by walk-in and appointment, for those who qualify. For more information or to schedule a screening, call at 833-TLH-LOVE or visit https://www.lorettohospital.org.
About Loretto Hospital
Celebrating its Centennial Anniversary, Loretto Hospital is an acute care hospital, dedicated to serving the residents of Austin and surrounding communities with exceptional healthcare and connecting them to resources and wrap-around services. Staffed with an interdisciplinary team of doctors, specialists, and nursing professionals, Loretto delivers convenient and accessible patient care by providing medical and ancillary services in one location. Established in 1923, Loretto Hospital is located at 645 S. Central Ave., Chicago.
