Health officials in South Sudan’s Torit State have urged the population to know their HIV/AIDs status by going to Voluntary Counseling and Testing centers to minimize the rate of new infections.

Doctor Opio Wilson Odong, the coordinator for HIV/Aids and TB in Eastern Equatoria region told a gathering at the World Aids Day celebrations in Torit held on Tuesday that when a person knows their status they are able to make informed decisions.

He added that there is a slight reduction in the prevalence rates between 2017 and 2018

“If you see the prevalence infection for this year starting from January up to December we got 2.6 percent, last year was 3.8 but this year there is a bit reduction on the infections,” he said.

Odong who had organized a testing facility at the ceremony for all those willing to get tested said the turn-out was too low but still encouraged people to go for testing so that they can protect themselves and their loved ones from HIV/AIDs.