Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PRNewswire - December 1, 2002
The Reverend Father Donald A. Sterling, pastor of New All Saints and an organizer of the initiative, says ignorance and fear have prevented African- Americans from getting tested and treated. "Men and women of faith, by working collectively with community-based organizations and leaders, can assist in dispelling the myths and stigma that have elevated this disease to a health crisis in the African-American community," said Father Sterling.
The Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, Joseph O'Neill M.D., M.S., M.P.H. was the program's guest speaker. Dr. O'Neill, a member of the White House Domestic Policy Council, leads an expanded AIDS office that oversees both domestic and international HIV/AIDS issues. Prior to his public service, Dr. O'Neill served on the medical staff of the Chase Brexton Clinic, a community-based AIDS clinic in Baltimore.
"The compassion, hope and commitment of the faith community in neighborhoods across Baltimore can serve as a critical resource in our fight to manage the spread of HIV/AIDS," said Dr. O'Neill. "Make no mistake about it: the Bush Administration and President Bush are committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS. We are continuing to work through the Department of Health and Human Services' Office HIV/AIDS Policy to educate and mobilize leadership in communities of color to help reduce the impact of this devastating disease on our minority and ethnic communities."
Also joining Dr. O'Neill was Deborah L. Parham, Ph.D.,M.S.P.H., R.N., one of the highest ranking African-American women working on HIV/AIDS issues within the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Parham is Director of the HIV/AIDS Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration. She has responsibility for the administration of over $1.9 billion for programs authorized under the Ryan White CARE-Act (RWCA). The RWCA funds over 700 programs associated with HIV/AIDS health care.
Baltimore City's HIV/AIDS statistics are among the highest in the nation.
According to the Maryland/Baltimore City HIV/AIDS Epidemiological Profile, Baltimore has the third highest incident AIDS case report of any major metropolitan area (50.0 cases per 100,000 population during 2001). Just over half of all HIV/AIDS incident cases are residents of Baltimore City, even though the city has only eight percent of the state's population. HIV/AIDS cases among African American women have risen at an alarming rate. In 1985, 10% of all AIDS cases diagnosed were female. The proportion has increased to 33% of AIDS cases in 2001. Forty-percent of all HIV cases in 2001 were female. Further information available at http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/AIDS/ "Blame is not the issue for us. As a faith community, we see our responsibility being to bring appropriate care and support in response to the HIV/AIDS crisis," said Father Sterling.
World AIDS Day began in January 1988. It was conceived and adopted unanimously by 140 countries meeting at the World Summit of Ministers of Health on AIDS. It is a day set aside to bring messages of compassion, hope, solidarity, and understanding about AIDS to every country in the world.
SOURCE RF Communications
Web Site: http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/AIDS
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