Maryland: Health Officials Strive to Increase Awareness Regarding AIDS Crisis

A year after Mayor Martin O'Malley declared a state of emergency in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Baltimore health officials worry that a drop in cases could lead to public complacency.

"While AIDS is becoming more and more a chronic disease ..., we want to avoid media fatigue from setting in and an attitude where people feel they can ignore what's still a very serious threat," said Dr. Peter L. Beilenson, city health commissioner. The number of AIDS deaths has decreased steadily over the past decade, from 959 in 1993 to 93 last year, Beilenson said. New AIDS cases declined statewide from 2,354 in 1993 to 1,313 last year, according to state figures.

O'Malley declared a state of emergency last year after the City Council and AIDS activists complained that his administration was not addressing an HIV/AIDS crisis in several city neighborhoods.

On Monday, World AIDS Day, health officials promoted the launch of a campaign to encourage HIV testing and plans to put a new van offering testing and counseling in city neighborhoods early next year. Health officials also visited four college and university campuses to show a 28-minute movie about the lives of four HIV-infected Baltimoreans.

Health experts said their efforts are aimed at combating perceptions that the HIV/AIDS epidemic is no longer a major problem. HIV/AIDS remains the leading cause of death among Baltimoreans ages 25-44.

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