Today marks the 21st Anniversary of World AIDS Day- a day that has helped to raise awareness and prompt many to get tested for HIV, AIDS and other STDs they may be at risk for since the 1980s. While this leaves sad memories of family members, friends, co-workers, and spouses that have been lost in the fight for some it also has huge successes in bringing communities together to provide free testing, contraceptives and support to persons afflicted with the disease. St. Louis is proactive in the fight against AIDS.
As we know, there are a multitude of socioeconomic factors such as homelessness, stigma, drug addiction, poverty, lack of health care resources (prenatal and sexual), etc. However, those factors don’t account for those that are not homeless, are educated, drug-free, employed and have access to health care resources. Why is HIV/AIDS still claiming so many lives around the world, in America and even in St. Louis? “Of the 1 million living with HIV in the United States, one in five do not know they are infected, which means they can unknowingly pass the virus to their partners”, says Turner Overton, M.D., a Washington University Infectious Disease Specialist in St. Louis, MO.
In the St. Louis area, some 5,200 [reported] individuals were living with HIV at the end of 2008. Maybe fear, social and religious stigmas or a lack of personal responsibility are be to blame. In any case, there are resources available regardless of if you are at risk, would like to know your status or are currently living with the disease.
Washington University School of Medicine’s Infectious Disease Clinic located at 4570 Children's Place, between Taylor and Euclid Avenue will offer free and confidential HIV testing in conjunction with World AIDS Day. The tests will be administered through a rapid finger prick test to obtain blood and participants will receive results 20 minutes after testing. HIV testing is available at the clinic Monday, Nov. 30 - Thursday, Dec. 3, from 9 am - 4 pm. No appointment is necessary. For more info call (314) 747-1244.
Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis will host “Living Hope” a worship service to remember those that have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS and honor those living with the disease while also raising awareness. The service starts at 7:00pm and will be held at 1919 S. Broadway. For more information, contact info@mccgsl.org or visit the website at www.mccgsl.org.
Doorways Housing is an interfaith organization that provides access to safe, affordable housing for people with HIV/AIDS and, in doing so, to improve access to health care and social services, increase compliance with individual treatment plans, reduce further transmission, and enhance the quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS. The organization has serves the St. Louis region since the 1980s and is located at 4385 Maryland Avenue. For more info call (314) 535-1919 or email at info@doorwayshousing.org.
Also be sure to check out The LGBTQ Alliance of Webster University 's AIDS Awareness and Prevention Week to commemerate World AIDS Day. The showing Long Time Companion on Dec. 3rd and will host a WAD Concert featuring live music on Dec. 4th at 8 pm. For more info contact LGBTQAlliance@gmail.com
Remember, if everyone wore condoms as quickly as people wore those face masks when Swine Flu epidemic hit media waves, we could help decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS and other STDs.
Video used to raise awareness on AIDS from the edgy geniuses at Germany's das comitee
Comments
That video is creepy. It is a scary call to action for people to get tested. Nicely done article btw
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