FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 24, 2008
World AIDS Day events planned for December 1st
COLUMBIA – World AIDS Day events will be observed throughout South Carolina on Dec.1, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 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 Dr. Andre Rawls, director of DHEC’s STD/HIV Division. “Many community-based groups will offer events and candlelight vigils to raise awareness of HIV issues and remember those who died from AIDS.”
The United States’ World AIDS Day theme for 2008, The Power of Partnerships, stresses the importance of everyone working together to make change happen in the fight against this epidemic.
“The Power of Partnerships supports the larger international theme, Lead, Empower, Deliver,” Rawls said. “The theme emphasizes how individuals, communities and governments can get involved and demonstrate leadership through strong partnership efforts against HIV/AIDS.”
According to Rawls, about 15,000 people are living with HIV in South Carolina and DHEC estimates that 990 people are newly infected with HIV in South Carolina each year. Every county in the state has residents living with HIV.
“DHEC encourages 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,” Rawls said. “DHEC continues to partner closely with community-based organizations to deliver testing, prevention and care services to those most in need. DHEC is working in partnership with hospital emergency departments to promote routine HIV testing for early diagnosis.
“Most people in the early stages of HIV infection have no symptoms,” Rawls said. “Early diagnosis can help us link people to services that will help them stay healthy longer, benefit most from treatments and services, reduce costly hospital visits and help prevent transmission to others.”
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
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