Georgia: Event to Focus on HIV/AIDS in African-American Community

The Southwest Health District is hoping National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on Feb. 7 will boost local outreach efforts.

"The theme for this year's observance is 'HIV/AIDS Prevention -- A Choice and a Lifestyle,'" said Jacqueline Grant, the district's public health director. "Education is our most powerful tool against the disease. By understanding the risk factors they control, African Americans can make decisions that protect against HIV/AIDS and prevent it from spreading."

"The cumulative number of reported AIDS cases through 2005, the most recent data available, reveals that 65.6 percent of Georgia's 30,405 cases are within the African-American population," said Grant. "Next highest is the white population, with 31.4 percent, followed by Hispanics, with 2.6 percent."

The district offers a variety of HIV testing opportunities. "We provide education, testing, counseling, contact and partner identification, notification and referral for treatment through our 14 county health departments," said Grant. "Plus, patients and prospective patients can be reassured that we take confidentiality extremely seriously. We don't want anyone using privacy concerns as an excuse to avoid HIV screening, education or treatment," she said.

On Feb. 6, the Southwest Georgia Chapter of the Ryan White Consortium is hosting the third annual "Singing for a Cure" concert. The event features choirs, praise teams, and praise dancers from around the region. It begins at 4 p.m. at Oakridge Baptist Church, 1708 Oakridge Dr., Albany. For more information, phone 229-430-5140.

Additional information about HIV/AIDS is available online at www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org.

Back to other news for February 2010