The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) held a press conference to launch the We-Check for our Brave Companions campaign, an anonymous HIV screening program. The members of the Korean-style Taiwanese boy band, Rainbow Generation, were vibrant spokespeople for the cause. The Rainbow Generation, group leader, stage name Giba, shared that for his 20th birthday, he gave himself the gift of regular HIV testing. At first, all his friends were against the idea, but Giba insisted that he had a responsibility to himself and his partner to know and remain HIV-negative.

The statistics compiled by the Taiwan CDC shows that the total number of people infected with HIV reached 25,375  June this year, a startling 72% of which were a result of unprotected sex. The majority of those infected, 41%, were young people aged between 20 and 29. The World Health Organization (WHO) also champions early and regular screening and treatment as an effective means to combat the AIDS epidemic and reduce the rate of HIV-related deaths. Previously, the successful launch of Taiwan CDC’s I-Check campaign advocating a similar anonymous HIV screening program found that out of 193 cases, 1.24% tested positive for HIV. This year, from August 1 to October 31, the We-Check for our Brave Companions anonymous HIV screening program hopes to provide a way for concerned individuals to encourage their sexually-active friends and family particularly at risk for HIV to get tested.

For Giba, his first encounter with HIV was in a middle school health education class. His fear of AIDS and the danger of being infected, combined with his maturing sense of responsibility and access to media and public educational material about sexual health, helped him understand that a commitment to safe sex by using condoms could reduce the risk of contracting HIV. Yet after Giba became aware that he may be part of a high-risk group for HIV, he searched online for a means to get tested every six months on a regular basis. However, when he mentioned the idea of regular HIV screenings to his friends, he received two very different reactions – one was cynical, “There’s no need for screening,” some said. Other friends were more supportive, while some even decided to get tested together. Giba believes that regular HIV screenings, just like regular health check-ups, provide helpful indicators to track personal health. In fact, loving yourself and your partner means taking responsibility for your health, regardless of what other people on the outside may say.

At the press conference, the Taiwan CDC Director-General, Dr. Feng-Yee Chang, mentioned a study proving that those who were diagnosed with HIV reduce risky sexual behavior by 68%, and after regular treatment, which includes in vivo viral load reduction, the risk of spreading the virus is greatly reduced. As a result, early diagnosis and treatment is crucial for stemming the tide of new AIDS infections in Taiwan. This year, national NGOs, medical institutions, and health authorities are participating in the We-check campaign to provide professional, private and anonymous HIV testing for free. Through We-leaders, students who refer their at-risk friend or partner to We-Check Consulting and Inspection Centers for screening and counseling, the campaign is hoping to complete 30 to 40 thousand HIV tests, 0.5 – 1% of which are expected to reveal positive results. Moreover, the campaign expects to catch 150 to 400 individuals in the early stages of HIV infection, and with early treatment, hopes to reduce the rate of HIV transmission.

To encourage couples involved in high-risk sexual behaviors to undergo HIV screening, the campaign is giving out NT $100 vouchers redeemable at any convenience store to individuals who register and complete the screening. However, couples who complete the screening together will each receive NT $200 vouchers. After the campaign, organizers will determine the WE-leaders who referred the most people to HIV screening as part of the campaign who are eligible to win a grand prize worth NT $50,000, among other prizes worth a total of NT $290,000. We-leaders welcome those who are interested to join the cause to stop the spread of HIV. For more information, please visit http://we-check.tw.