GThere has been a lot of good news on the HIV/AIDS front this week, including the Senate approving a $47 millions dollar increase to the Ryan White ADAP Funding, and President Obama ordering a stepped up effort against HIV/AIDS. < http://www.reuters.com/... > but is this too little too late?
The order says, in part:
"In light of these data, we must further clarify and focus our national efforts to prevent and treat HIV infection," it said. "This acceleration will enable us to meet the goals of the Strategy and move closer to an AIDS-free generation."
Over the past 10 years, the rate of new HIV infections in the United States has remained at about 50,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are many countries with decreasing AIDS infection rates, why can't the US be one of them?
A study published last July by a team at Atlanta's Emory University found that overall infection rates among U.S. black, gay and bisexual men rival those seen in sub-Saharan African countries that are hardest hit by HIV.
The 2010 AIDS strategy aims to slow the spread of HIV by 25 percent over five years. It focuses especially on African Americans, gay and bisexual men, Latinos, and substance abusers, groups most at-risk of infection.
Obviously, according to the Atlanta study the 2010 AIDS strategy is a failure. Let's hope that Obama's new "stepped up effort against AIDS/HIV" is better and more effective that his 2010 AIDS Strategy. It would be nice if we could be in the column of countries with declining AIDS rates, and not with the African Countries hardest hit!