SisterLove Hosts Community Health Event for World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day is on December 1st each year, and it is coming up this year. The purpose of World AIDS Day is for people around the globe to join together in their fight against HIV, to support those who are diagnosed and living with HIV, and to honor the lives lost due to AIDS.
World AIDS Day began in 1988 as the first global health day, and it is recognized around the world. There are about 38 million people with HIV around the world, and over 35 million people have died from illnesses related to HIV and AIDS.
It is a major crisis that has affected many lives, and people need to understand what HIV and AIDS are to reduce the stigma around them.
World AIDS Day serves as a reminder to people that HIV is still a major problem that requires education, funds for research and patient care, and overall awareness. It is a reminder for both the general population and the government, as many institutions and individuals can help make HIV and AIDS more understood and accepted by people around the world.
Wearing a red ribbon or wearing red on World AIDS Day can show one's solidarity with those living with HIV, and many organizations sell red ribbons that help benefit HIV/AIDS research.
Getting tested is important for sexually active people, and it is the only way to know if you have HIV. HIV testing in Atlanta is important, as there has historically been a lack of testing that has caused the further spread of the virus.
Fundraising to raise money for HIV and AIDS research, helping those affected by HIV or AIDS, or increasing education and awareness about the virus and disease are other ways to contribute to World AIDS Day.
HIV in Atlanta
Atlanta is also known as the “public health capital” of the United States, although the city has a very high rate of both HIV and AIDS. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are located in Atlanta, a major funder for HIV research and patient care, yet this has not translated into a low rate of transmission and disease amongst the citizens of Atlanta.
Atlanta has a rising number of people who are being diagnosed with or dying from AIDS instead of remaining HIV positive, which is a condition that someone could live happily with for many years.
Certain neighborhoods in Atlanta have six to eight times more HIV and AIDS patients than the average in the United States, which has been very alarming for public health officials.
Additionally, around 25% of those diagnosed as being HIV positive have already had the virus progress to AIDS. By this point, many of the patients have been living with and potentially spreading HIV for eight to ten years, which is extremely significant.
Potential reasons for this HIV crisis include lack of insurance, the stigma around sex and practices that may cause the spread of HIV, and poverty. Those most affected by the high HIV and AIDS rate are black male youths who have sex with other males.
For Black men in Georgia aged 35 to 44, AIDS is the leading cause of death.
While there have been major advancements in the treatment and care of HIV patients, those in Atlanta have not reaped the benefits. This could be due to a lack of support from family and friends, difficulty finding transportation to treatment centers, the stigma surrounding sexual orientation, or a lack of health insurance that prevents people from seeking treatment.
SisterLove's Mobile Healthy Clinic
SisterLove has launched the Healthy Love Bus, which is a mobile clinic that operates in Atlanta.
SisterLove is the oldest organization in the southeast that focuses on reproductive health, rights, and justice for women of color and other marginalized groups. SisterLove operates and is based in Atlanta, and they have been operating since 1989. They work around the Atlanta area and even internationally in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Free HIV testing in Atlanta is available through the Healthy Love Bus by SisterLove. There is also free STI testing, which is important for overall reproductive health.
These screenings are confidential and free, which means that they are available to anyone and everyone in need. It is very important to detect HIV early on, and getting a test from the Mobile Health Clinic is a resource that everyone in the Atlanta area should utilize.
Additionally, the SisterLove Healthy Love Bus provides information and education to the public. It tells people about how to prevent HIV, how to treat HIV, and other sexual health education resources. Education is extremely important in controlling the spread of HIV and other STIs, and having education in a mobile and easily accessible form is a great tool for helping control the HIV crisis.
The Healthy Love Bus provides a referral service to those who use it.
This involves referrals to social service providers and health care specialists. Having easy access to referrals ensures that the people of Atlanta can maintain their overall health and get the care that they need.
Finally, SisterLove provides the Healthy Love Workshop. This is CDC-endorsed sexual education resource that focuses on safe sex practices, bodily autonomy, and sex positivity as a form of empowerment. This workshop focuses on an intersectional approach to make sure that all topics are covered in a way that everyone can understand and relate to.
SisterLove removes many barriers that prevent people from seeking the treatment and care that they need when they are diagnosed with HIV or other STIs. Additionally, they provide education that can help prevent and minimize the spread in the first place.
Since the clinic is mobile, it moves around the Atlanta area and can come to patients. This is vital for those who may not have access to transportation to a treatment center, and it allows everyone to have access to professional help and treatment that can be a game changer in their battle against HIV.
SisterLove's mission is to provide Atlanta an accessible and effective means of fighting the HIV crisis, and people have greater access to the resources they need to stay healthy and safe. Anyone who needs access to safe sex resources, care, treatment, or information that can help stop the spread of HIV can and should use the mobile health clinic.
Come to the Healthy Love Bus Block Party to learn more about SisterLove and its mission.
