HIV test

An HIV test can tell if you have been infected with HIV or not. The test can reliably detect HIV in your blood for six weeks after running the risk of infection. Ask a healthcare provider if an earlier test is possible in your case.

An HIV test takes place as follows:

• The healthcare provider takes a blood sample and sends it to a lab for testing.
• In the lab, they will look for antibodies in your blood.
• The healthcare provider receives the result of the lab test about one week later.
• The healthcare provider explains the result to you and talks with you about the next steps.

If you do not want to wait one week for the test results, you can also get a rapid test. This test gives the result faster:

• The healthcare provider takes a blood sample and gives you the result within 30 minutes.
• If the test is positive, another test is needed to confirm the result.
• You will receive the result of the confirmation test about one week later.

You can freely talk to your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider cannot give any information about you to anybody else. They are obliged by law to respect your privacy.

You can test yourself for HIV and do not have to go to a healthcare provider. You can buy an HIV test without a prescription at a pharmacy or on the internet. The test uses blood (from a finger-prick). Only buy tests with a CE label. This guarantees good quality. Ask in a pharmacy for more information.

In Nigeria, along with other tests when pregnant, your healthcare provider will advise you to get an HIV test.

An HIV test can be done for free in primary healthcare centres in Nigeria, but you may have to pay in private hospitals or for self-care test cassettes. You may have to pay for the visit and lab costs in a hospital if you don't have health insurance.

The healthcare provider receives the test result, but the invoice is given to you. The invoice states that your blood was tested but does not say why. Talk to your healthcare provider so you can understand the result.