Silver Spring, Maryland (June 22, 2007) –Danya International, Inc. (Danya), a health communications, research, and technology firm delivering breakthrough solutions for public health and education, recognizes National HIV Testing Day on June 27, 2007.

National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is a public awareness campaign held annually on the 27th of June and coordinated by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA-US) with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN). NHTD aims to reach millions of Americans at risk for the disease, especially those who have had unprotected sex or have shared needles, with the message that "it's better to know."

"Prevention is the critical component in fighting the HIV pandemic in our country and abroad," said Jeff Hoffman, Ph.D., President and CEO of Danya." The first step in reducing the rate of new infections is to encourage people engaging in risky behaviors to take responsibility for their health and the health of their partners by having an HIV test."

CDC estimates that more than one million people in the United States currently live with HIV, and approximately 25 percent are unaware of their HIV status. In observance of National HIV Testing Day, thousands of HIV counseling and testing sites, State and local health departments, and community-based HIV/AIDS service providers will participate in NHTD events by holding health fairs, conducting community and media outreach, hosting special testing-related events, and operating extended hours.

By assisting people to learn their HIV status, educating HIV-positive persons about how to prevent transmission or reinfection with the virus, and helping those who test negative get the information they need to stay uninfected, HIV counseling and testing can significantly impact this public health crisis, which continues to devastate individuals, families, and communities.
For many years, Danya has worked to help reduce HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) infections through the development of innovative prevention materials and the implementation of awareness, education, and information initiatives. Blending creativity with sound science, Danya developed a comprehensive STD prevention kit for African-American youth entitled Peer to Peer: Stop, Think, Be Safe! The kit provides skill-building and community-based activities designed to reach at-risk middle school-aged adolescents. More information is available at www.stopthinkbesafe.org.

Since 2004, Danya has assisted NPIN in facilitating requests for CDC's HIV, STD, and tuberculosis prevention information and resources. NPIN's core services include its Web site—www.cdcnpin.org—five online searchable databases, a call center, materials distribution and fulfillment services, and a state-of-the-art health communication facility in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition, Danya has provided a variety of health communication services to the Global AIDS Program (GAP), including preparing clinical updates, brochures, and Global AIDS fact sheets; conducting literature reviews of GAP technical strategies; and managing a World AIDS Day media mailing.

In close cooperation with representatives from the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and other U.S. Government agencies implementing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Danya developed PEPFAR.net, an online work community. PEPFAR.net supports cross-agency sharing of information, lessons learned, and resources in an open, inclusive, and dynamic environment that promotes collaboration among diverse Government users working with a wide range of technology tools and platforms.

Danya has assisted CDC Ethiopia in contributing to GAP through materials development, as well as supported CDC Kenya's creation and implementation of a TB/HIV communication campaign under the PEPFAR umbrella.

"One of Danya's key corporate Social Impact goals is to help reduce the rate of new HIV infections and other infectious diseases," said Hoffman. "As a company, we are striving, together with our Government and private partners, to make a real difference in the United States and around the world in shaping healthy futures through efforts that support an international HIV prevention and intervention agenda."

If you think you may have been infected with HIV and are unsure about getting a test to find out, log on to www.hivtest.org for more information about HIV testing and counseling. If you decide that having an HIV test is the right decision, you can locate a testing site near you through this Web site.

Danya's mission is to impact global public health and education through the development and implementation of breakthrough health communications, research, and technology programs. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the company provides breakthrough solutions in the areas of public health communication, research and evaluation, information technology, education and training, program management and support, and health product development. Danya is based in Silver Spring, Maryland, with offices in Atlanta, Georgia. To learn more about the company, visit www.danya.com.