Three East and Southern African countries have collectively set a new Guinness World Record for the most people tested for HIV in multiple venues in the course of eight hours. More than 4000 people were tested at sites in Botswana, Tanzania and South Africa on 29 November 2014, and this feat has now received official recognition.
In Botswana, the record event was a joint collaboration between the National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA), the Ministry of Health, UNFPA, UNAIDS and WHO. The eight-hour HIV testing campaign took place in Maun on 29 November 2014. At this event, Botswana contributed the greatest number of people being tested - 2419 - out of the three countries' combined efforts. Maun has an HIV prevalence of 13.9 per cent, making it one of the districts with the highest HIV prevalence in Botswana.
The Guinness citation reads: “The most people being tested for HIV at multiple locations in eight hours is 4,367 people and this was achieved by UNAIDS and the Governments of Botswana, Tanzania and South Africa, in locations across Botswana, Tanzania and South Africa, on 29 November 2014. The organizers successfully orchestrated the testing to take place across three different countries all in the same eight hour time frame.”
At Botswana's event in Maun, the Condomize! Campaign was the biggest crowd puller. About 16,000 male condoms and 5000 female condoms were distributed during the eight hour period. The campaign is a good example of UN working as one towards a common goal. Read the official announcement.
