FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 17, 2006
World AIDS Day events planned
COLUMBIA – World AIDS Day events will be observed throughout South Carolina Dec.1, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control reported today.
“Free or low-cost rapid tests for HIV will be offered at numerous locations in DHEC’s county public health departments and community-based agencies on and around World AIDS Day,” said Lynda Kettinger, director of DHEC’s STD/HIV Division. “Also, some community-based sites will be offering free OraSure testing, which is a no-needles method of HIV testing that is simple and painless.”
Kettinger said many of the community-based groups will also offer candlelight vigils and other events to raise awareness of HIV issues as well as to remember those who have died from AIDS.
The United States’ World AIDS Day theme for 2006, Action Makes a Difference, stresses the importance of every community member playing an active role in making change happen in the fight against this epidemic.
“Action Makes a Difference supports the larger international theme, Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise,” Kettinger said. “This reflects a focus on supporting an effective and sustained response to the AIDS epidemic through the actions of individuals, communities and governments. Our residents are planning activities that support those themes.”
Kettinger said more than 15,000 people are estimated to be living with HIV in South Carolina. Every county in the state has residents living with HIV. About 900 people are diagnosed each year.
“We encourage public health and private partnerships throughout South Carolina to end the stigma of HIV and promote community support for HIV testing, prevention, care and treatment,” Kettinger said.
“Each year, more people are living with HIV who are on life-saving treatments through DHEC’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program,” Kettinger said. “However, federal and state resources for HIV medicines have not kept pace with demand, forcing DHEC to create a waiting list. The state currently has the largest number of people on a waiting list for medicine in the country. More than 350 people are expected to be on the waiting list by the end of 2006.
“Early access to HIV medication has benefits, such as saving money by reducing the need for as many costly hospital visits; preventing new cases of HIV by decreasing the amount of virus, which lowers a patient’s chance of spreading the disease to others; and keeping people healthy, working and off public assistance programs such as Medicaid.”
For more information about World AIDS Day events, including local HIV testing sites, call DHEC’s S.C. AIDS/STD Hotline at 1-800-322-AIDS (1-800-322-2437) or visit the DHEC Web site at: http://www.scdhec.gov/stdhiv.
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For more information:
Tony Price – (803) 898-0338
E-mail – priceae@dhec.sc.gov
or
Clair Boatwright – (803) 898-4461
E-mail – boatwrc@dhec.sc.gov