Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat issued the following statement to recognize December 1st as World AIDS Day and to address the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.
“The AIDS epidemic is a public health crisis that affects every community,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat. “But despite the tragic toll of this disease, we are making historic progress to halt this epidemic in its tracks. U.S. initiatives like the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and the Ryan White AIDS Program have saved millions of lives around the world and here at home.
UNAIDS estimates that more than 9.4 million people living with HIV still do not know their status.
“We cannot afford to backslide on our commitments to ending this public health emergency. Despite the tremendous gains we’ve made in prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS estimates that more than 9.4 million people living with HIV still do not know their status. In the United States, more than a million people are living with HIV – and one out of every seven HIV-positive Americans don’t know that they’ve been infected.
“The United Nations believes we can achieve an AIDS-free generation by 2030, but that requires action to address the persistent gaps in education and care. On World AIDS Day and every day, I am committed to saving lives and protecting critical public health programs.”
The theme for World AIDS Day 2018 is “Know Your Status.” To find an HIV testing site near you, click here.
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