Free testing will be done for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis at Red Deer’s Bower Ponds Pavilion on Thursday as part of a study undertaken by Shining Mountains Living Community Services.
Anyone can drop by between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for testing, which will involve a finger prick and dry blood spot testing, said program manager Kandace Ogilvie.
Ogilvie notes there’s a syphilis outbreak in Alberta of a strain of bacteria that’s more resistant to antibiotics.
The group is, meanwhile, working in partnership with the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network on a research project to build a Metis-specific wrap-around service model in response to HIV/AIDS in the Metis community.
The project will be introduced to the community on Thursday afternoon, and public input will be gathered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at the pavilion.