CSO encourages AIDS testing for students

The Caribbean Student Organization teamed up with the Fan Free Clinic to provide free, confidential AIDS testing to VCU students in recognition of Worlds AIDS Day.

Chenelle Okoro, president of the Caribbean Student Organization, said Virginia has a high percentage of AIDS within its college community. She encourages everyone to get tested every six months because it can sometimes take three or four years before symptoms show up in a person’s system.

“We try to push the message of students getting tested consistently,” Okoro said. “What you want to hear is a consistent negative.”

“We try to push the message of students getting tested consistently.”
– Chenelle Okoro, Caribbean Student Organization president

Allison Walker, one a several members of the Caribbean Student Organization, was on hand to help recruit students to be tested and to provide more information about where students can obtain free testing if they did not want to be tested at that time.

She said students who are sexually active need to be responsible and get tested to know their status.

Jihad Abdulmumit, community case manager for the Fan Free Clinic, said the clinic received a grant to test a total of 600 students. The clinic tested students at four universities including VCU.

He conducted pre-interviews to groups of students before the students were tested.

Susan Tellier, prevention specialist for the clinic, not only coordinated the event but was also one of the representatives who swabbed students.

After the swab of the cheek was administered, the results became available in as few as 20 minutes. While the students waited for their results, they ate free pizza.

Okoro said every student was given a post-interview because they do not want to make it seem as if only the students who tested positive are the only one who will have a second interview.

Students can visit the Fan Free clinic for more information about AIDS and other STD testing.