HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign Initiated by the Obama Administration

On March 16, SAHEP members posted an article on HIV/AIDS rates in Washington, DC and the affect that will have on South Asians.

In today's news, the Washington Post, posted an article on Obama's 5-year awareness campaign to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS. This campaign, "Act Against AIDS", includes PSA's, advertising in various modes of public transportation, text messages, and will create a website for detailed information.

According to Kevin Fenton, Director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS at CDC, "Every 9 1/2 minutes, someone's mother, someone's daughter, someone's father, someone's friend is infected". Additionally, Fenton indicated that one in five people who have HIV are not aware of it.

While most of the article discusses the impact of HIV/AIDS in the U.S, it also describes the concerns for individuals living in the Washington DC area, as the rate of people living with HIV/AIDS n the DC area is now at 3 percent.

How does this impact South Asians? What can SAHEP do and what can individuals do to raise the awareness of HIV/AIDS?

For more information, please visit: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/07/AR2009040703717.html?wprss=rss_metro