HONG KONG'S first drop-in centre for people affected by the AIDS virus is to be opened by St John's Cathedral this summer.
The centre, funded by a $450,000 grant from the AIDS Trust Fund, will be an informal place for people to talk, receive counselling and learn about other HIV-related services. It will be based in the Cathedral complex.
Dean of St John's, the Very Reverend Chris Phillips, said the team aimed to form a support group based around the centre.
'It is for anyone who feels they have been affected. That could range from someone who wants to know how to get tested, to family members who are worried, to people with HIV,' he said.
Church administrators and volunteers came up with the idea last year when a report pinpointed the need for a drop-in centre in Hong Kong, which had more than 500 reported HIV carriers.
Hong Kong already has specialised medical care for HIV sufferers, AIDS Concern offers a 'buddy' support group, and the AIDS Foundation has a library and resource centre. There are also plans for a 26-bed hospice for AIDS patients. But the absence of a drop-in centre has left a gap in facilities.