Parkland Health offers free HIV testing at Walgreens for National HIV Testing Day on Friday

Parkland Health offers free testing on HIV Testing Day

On Friday, June 27, Parkland Health and Walgreens will offer free HIV testing at select Dallas locations to combat the ongoing epidemic in Dallas County.

What we know:

DALLAS COUNTY, Texas - Parkland hospital and selected Walgreens’ locations will offer free HIV testing tomorrow, for national HIV testing day.

FOX 4's Shaun Rabb reports that testing and education are still the best measures to protect against the disease that is still moving in Dallas County.

To fight the epidemic, Parkland Health along with Walgreens and Greater Than HIV will offer free testing on Friday, June 27.

What they're saying:

Jonathan Gute is senior grant and research program manager at Parkland Health.

"We are working hard to end the HIV epidemic, but the epidemic is definitely at our doorstep," said Gute.

"The epidemic is not only strongest in the south, but it also disproportionately affects black and brown communities. That is something in Parkland we make urgently important as we try to structure our program and our services around better reach into those communities."

Dig deeper:

Dallas County is the second-largest county in the south with new diagnosed cases. 845 cases in 2023. The last year for which data is available.

"Many people don't know much about HIV and may have preconceived notions about what HIV is and who it impacts, but everyone has an HIV status and knowing your status is the only way and that's to get tested," said Gute.

Local perspective:

Parkland has confidential primary care services, co-located with community health services, mental health services, substance-use services, as well as nutrition services, so it is an all-in-one shop.

Free testing takes place across the country and again in Dallas at three Walgreens drug stores from Oaklawn to West Dallas to Oak Cliff. 

On Friday, the following Walgreens locations will offer the free tests from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.: 

• 3418 McKinney Avenue,
• 5101 South Lancaster, and
• 1104 Westmoreland

"We have testing counselors as well as community health workers who will educate patients and community members on what their options are. Like I said, everybody has an HIV status and there are many treatment options available," said Gute.

What you can do:

"We are going to be at those three locations with many resources there for whatever the results of your HIV test so whether that's treatment options or further preventative."

The test takes only five minutes and can make a difference in the rest of your life.