A report on the
current state of AIDS in the African-American community
was released Tuesday by the Black AIDS Institute. "AIDS in
Black America" shows that more than half of AIDS
patients in 15 states are black as of 2004.
"The latest
report by the Black AIDS Institute starkly reminds us of
the impact that HIV/AIDS is having on black communities
throughout our country," Rebecca Haag, executive
director of AIDS Action Council, said in a press
release. "In the 27th year of this epidemic, it
is shameful that we have the numbers documented in this
report, highlighted by the fact that in 2004, 50% of
new HIV/AIDS diagnoses were among black Americans.
This underscores further the need for a national AIDS
strategy, for which over 100 organizations are calling. The
centerpiece of a national AIDS strategy must be addressing
and ending the epidemic in black communities
throughout America."
After releasing
the report, the Black AIDS Institute announced a major
initiative to test 1 million African-Americans for HIV.
The AIDS Action
Council announced its support of the study in a press
release Tuesday. (The Advocate)
