"Today, we calculate that ca. 18,000 people in Italy are infected with HIV and do not know about it. This means that we must identify new strategies for testing and allow these people to be rapidly diagnosed. Late diagnoses lead to a series of further issues in terms of both patient and public health. It means that there is an added risk of HIV transmission.”
This is the alarm sounded by Infectious Disease Expert Massimo Andreoni, Scientific Director of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (SIMIT) [see ADN Kronos news: L'infettivologo: "18mila con Hiv e non lo sanno (in Italian)].
Today, students at the Primo Levi School in San Donato Milanese will attend a new educational session organised by Project Factor J [see: Living with HIV], who met Prof. Massimo Andreoni during Experts in Class [see news: Salute, è tempo di empatia].
Today, experts from the Network Persone Sieropositive (HIV-positive Individuals Network) will speak about prevention to students in 8 classes, addressing screening and quality of life, but also how to overcome patient stigma and discrimination.
Factor J, promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale with Janssen Italia, is the first Italian school curriculum for educating students to develop emotional intelligence, respect and empathy towards individuals suffering from unease of disease. This is an important social operation to stimulate a change in mentality and culture in the new generations.
