Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal (12.01.05) - Thursday, December 08, 2005
Anne Geggis
Flagler County AIDS cases have almost doubled in the last five years, from 5.9 cases per 100,000 people to 11.3 in 2004, the state Health Department reports. Volusia's rate has risen from 16.2 cases per 100,000 to 26.3 in 2004.
The AIDS Drug Assistance Program has 118 clients in Volusia and five in Flagler. Provided their income is low enough to qualify and their request reaches the right place, no one waits more than a day for medications, according to Volusia County Health Department officials. "In the state of Florida there is no waiting list for drugs," said William Lyons, HIV/AIDS coordinator for Volusia and Flagler counties at VCHD. The two health departments and other AIDS groups assist 800- 1,000 patients per year in the two counties, Lyons estimated.
Loretta Jennings, executive director of the Outreach Community Network, said it sends case managers to West Volusia twice a week. VCHD has contracted to do some HIV testing in Deland in addition to its own four testing sites. Flagler County Health Department Administrator Patrick Johnson said the department has HIV testing and counseling slots available regularly.
Jennings admitted, however, that it is possible for AIDS patients to have problems accessing care despite the efforts of her agency and the AIDS Coalition of Volusia/Flagler. "The further you are from a metropolitan area, the more difficult it becomes," she said, saying she has heard from patients who felt they were denied access to drugs.
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