More than 580 consultations and tests were carried out in 2025 at 40 appointments to date. This corresponds to a rate of approximately 15 contacts per appointment. In addition to the regular biweekly services offered by the Queer Department in Aachen, we have placed particular emphasis this year on expanding mobile counseling and testing services. A team from test²multiply was present at various parties, especially queer parties, to reach people who do not take advantage of the regular services offered in the city region.

Since the start of the project in March 2018, more than 2,300 contacts and consultations as well as STI tests have been carried out at more than 180 appointments. The rate of reactive tests remains low at the biweekly routine events, but there has been an increase in reactive tests, especially in the context of the mobile testing campaigns, which underlines the importance of these outreach counseling and testing services.

In addition, targeted counseling and testing campaigns were implemented for the first time in 2025 in transitional shelters for refugees in the city of Aachen. These outreach services were very well received and once again highlighted that people with refugee and migration experience in particular have had limited access to sexual health care services to date.

Another important component in this context is test²multiply’s participation in the SAWA project, a monthly open meeting for queer people with refugee and/or migration backgrounds. As part of SAWA, low-threshold counseling on sexual health and information on testing and care services were provided. The positive response from participants confirms the high relevance of these target group-specific services. The Migrant Population area is therefore already playing a significant role in the work of test²multiply and is set to be further intensified in the coming years.

Against this backdrop, test²multiply will participate in the MOBITEST (Mobile Prevention and Cross-border Testing) project in 2026, led by Centre S in Liège and in cooperation with the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience at Maastricht University and the Prisma association in Eupen. We have received a grant from Gilead Sciences for this purpose, which will be used for mobile, cross-border counseling and testing campaigns with a van. In this case, the counseling and testing campaigns will focus on the vulnerable group of migrants.

We have been able to offer more counseling and testing services focusing on HIV, hepatitis C, and syphilis for people who use drugs and are homeless. This is done in close cooperation with Caritas Aachen at Café Plattform and at Troddwar in Aachen, where we can perform PCR tests immediately on site in the event of reactive hepatitis antibody tests! This service is expected to be further expanded in 2026, as we will then have a PCR testing device available on a regular basis and will be able to use it on a mobile basis! In addition to the Caritas staff, we would like to express our sincere thanks to Abbvie, which is providing significant support for this project!