Lakes State residents were urged to go for HIV voluntary counselling and testing as the world heads towards marking International AIDS Day to be observed on Wednesday.
Director of HIV in the State ministry of Health, David Deng Yak, told Good News Radio that people should get tested for HIV in order to know their status.Mr. Deng said voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) was free of charge and therefore should be availed to everyone.
He added that any incidents of corruption detected at the VCT centres should be reported to the health authorities.
Mr. Deng explained that when people know their HIV status they are in a better position to protect themselves from acquiring the disease or spreading it.
He mentioned that abstinence and being faithful were among preventive measures against HIV.
Mr. Deng said the VCT results were confidential.
The South Sudan AIDS Commission says that 3.1 percent of adult population suffers from HIV AIDS and 3.8 million are at risk of being contaminated.