Taiwan CDC announces free shipping for HIV tests until end of December

Taipei, Dec. 1 (CNA) Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Sunday announced a free shipping incentive for home HIV tests until the end of December.

The program was announced in observation of the international World AIDS Day which falls on Dec. 1 since it was first introduced in 1988.

According to the CDC's Sunday press release, members of the general public are entitled to a free shipping subsidy until Dec. 31 for Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV) home tests ordered through the program's official website.

Those who purchase kits from the site have to just pay NT$200 (US$6.16) for each test kit, which can be delivered to partnering outlets such as FamilyMart and 7-Eleven.

According to CDC statistics, Taiwan observed an increase of 834 HIV positive patients from the beginning of the year until the end of October, which was a 4.8 percent increase compared to the same time frame last year.

The CDC indicated that the nation's Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention and control indicators for 2023 were 91-96-95.

In other words, in 2023, 91 percent of HIV positive individuals were aware of their infections with 96% undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, 95% of those being treated had successfully suppressed and managed their conditions.

Taiwan's 2023 indicators of 91-96-95 were higher than the global average of 86-89-93, the CDC said.