Florida: Women's Clinic Will Target HIV and AIDS

The Lake County, Fla., Health Department is partnering with Community Medical Care Center to offer a women's health clinic on Friday afternoons. CMCC will offer gynecologic and HIV treatment, and testing for STDs, HIV and pregnancy from 1-5 p.m. The clinic will charge a sliding fee and will accept Medicaid and private insurance.

"Our target is not only uninsured, but the underinsured -- those who may not have benefits that cover basic GYN services or can't get in to see a physician for HIV services," said Kevin Lenhart, a spokesperson for the health department.

HIV testing is particularly important for women, said Alelia Munroe of the Howard Phillips Center for Children and Families in Orlando. It can help protect them -- and their children. "They need to get tested to know exactly what their status is," she said. "Treatment is available to prolong life. The earlier you know, the better off you'll be," said Munroe.

Resident feedback led to the idea of offering HIV services at the women's clinic, said Dr. Howard Vesser, president of CMMC. Though the Health Department offers HIV services in clinics in Umatilla, Tavares and Lake-Sumpter Community College, those services were badly needed in Leesburg, Vesser said. "There are many people who don't even know they have the virus. We want to reach out and get them tested," he said.

As of June, an estimated 465 people had HIV/AIDS in Lake County, an increase of 20 cases since December. The increase of HIV/AIDS cases among women, especially among minorities, continues to rise, said Marisol Bruno, who has worked on HIV/AIDS education in Central Florida for five years. If women abstain from sex, use male or female condoms when having sex, and get tested for HIV, they can help slow that trend, Bruno said.

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