HIV/HCV Test Day at the Campidoglio

The Test Day at the Campidoglio

On December 1st, World AIDS Day, the historic Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome becomes the symbolic stage for a day dedicated to prevention. A Farmacap mobile unit, operated by Rome's municipal pharmaceutical company, is set up in the square to provide rapid and free HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) tests, open to everyone: citizens, tourists, and even members of the Capitoline Assembly and the City Council, who lead by example by taking the test themselves.

The "Let's do it, fast and free" campaign

The Test Day is part of the project "Let's do it, fast and free. Rapid HIV and HCV screening campaign for Roma Capitale," born from a motion unanimously approved by the Capitoline Assembly. Thanks to the work of the Department for Social Policies and Health and the planning by Farmacap, the motion has translated into concrete prevention and awareness actions, with the goal of promoting early diagnosis and combating the stigma that still surrounds these conditions.

Rapid, free, and anonymous tests

The tests offered are rapid, free, and completely anonymous, and can be performed without a doctor's prescription. Results are available in just a few minutes, and in case of a positive result, the individual is directed toward a confirmation and care pathway. Early diagnosis is the most effective tool for breaking the chain of transmission and accessing available therapies in a timely manner.

City-wide initiatives

The Test Day at the Campidoglio is only the most visible event in a network of initiatives that, on December 1st and the surrounding days, involves various neighborhoods in Rome. In recent editions, mobile units have also reached:

• Tor Bella Monaca, with the Villa Maraini mobile unit in the morning;
• Pigneto and Piazza San Giovanni, in the afternoon and evening;
• the Anlaids Lazio headquarters on Via Giolitti, with extended hours;
• the municipal pharmacies of the Farmacap network.

The associations Anlaids, Villa Maraini, and the Mario Mieli Homosexual Cultural Circle support Roma Capitale in the organization, bringing expertise, experience, and the ability to reach the most exposed communities.

An institutional commitment: Rome Fast Track City

The campaign and the Test Days at the Campidoglio are part of the journey that led Rome to join the international Fast Track Cities network, cities committed to achieving United Nations goals to end the AIDS epidemic. Hosting the test right at the seat of the city government carries strong symbolic value: health prevention becomes a public and shared priority.

Roma Capitale and the Lazio region

Promoted by the Municipality of Rome (Roma Capitale), within the territory of the Rome province and the Lazio region, the Test Day represents a model of local healthcare replicated in other Italian cities. Simple, free, and accessible, it invites every citizen to take a quick step of responsibility toward themselves and others.