Many people turned out Friday for events on National HIV Day in hopes of being tested and garnering more information about health-related questions.

The NYC health department says the Bronx has the city?s highest level of AIDS-related deaths and is encouraging residents to be tested. To facilitate that effort, the city is launching a borough-wide initiative for testing.

Some say they have already gotten the message.

?I watched the news yesterday and it said that all Bronx residents should be tested so I immediately came out for my test,? says Malikah Hameed, who went to the Soundview Health Clinic.

?It?s a matter of life and death,? she says.

Soundview is one of 40 sites that offer free HIV testing in the Bronx. Julie Serrano went in for testing after her doctor suggested it.

?You see ads everywhere ... so I was like, I might as well try it,? Serrano says.