Padova to host free HIV and syphilis testing in Piazza Portello

Fondazione Foresta ETS will host free, anonymous rapid testing for HIV and syphilis in Piazza Portello, Padova, on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The initiative coincides with the first university Wednesday of the academic year and the welcome events for new students organized by Studenti Per – UDU.

In collaboration with Padova Sex Lab and psychologists from Fondazione Foresta, the event aims to provide practical information on sexual health, prevention, and relationships. Participants will also receive condoms as part of the prevention efforts. The initiative marks the final day of the World Sexual and Reproductive Health Month, a global campaign promoted by the World Health Organization.

Carlo Foresta, president of Fondazione Foresta ETS, stated that prevention must reach young people in the places and moments where they meet and build new relationships, moving beyond traditional clinical settings. The decision to include syphilis screening alongside HIV testing follows recent epidemiological trends showing an increase in syphilis cases.