Home > Legislators observe National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day at Capitol
HARRISBURG, Feb. 7 – State legislators and community leaders held a news conference today, followed by a policy roundtable, at the state Capitol to highlight National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
Rep. Tony Payton, D-Phila., said: "The AIDS crisis was not left behind in the 80s and 90s, and the statistics prove it. This is one of the deadliest diseases in the world, but the power to prevent it is in our hands. We need to do more to educate people about this terrible disease, encourage them to get tested, and to show tolerance and compassion for those who have been diagnosed."
Rep. Ronald G. Waters, D-Phila./Delaware, chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, said: "HIV/AIDS can affect all of us, even indirectly through friends and family. Rather than suffer through the heartache of a loss, which could happen to anyone, isn’t it better to prevent the virus? Yes, there are medications that are helping many people with AIDS to live longer lives, but these drugs are expensive."
Other speakers at the news conference included state Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Phila./Montgomery; Janice Kopelman, deputy secretary for health promotion and disease prevention, Pennsylvania Department of Health; and Cindy Stewart, CEO, Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania.
The policy roundtable topic is: "Keeping our focus and attention on where we are as a Commonwealth as it relates to investing in effective strategies and support in preventing, treating, and educating our citizens on HIV/AIDS: What can we do better and what are we doing that is working?"
Roundtable panelists include Payton, Hughes, Kopelman and:
- Anthony Anderson, F.A.I.T.H. Initiative coordinator, Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force;
- Oladoyin Desalu, executive director, Southwestern Pennsylvania AIDS Planning Coalition;
- Albertha Graham-Ellison, vice president and project director, Educating Teens about HIV/AIDS Inc.;
- Philip K. Goropoulos, president and CEO of Alder Health Services, formerly known as the AIDS Community Alliance of South Central Pennsylvania; and
- Tamara Allen-Wurst, AIDS coalition manager, Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania.
The House of Representatives recently adopted a resolution (H.R. 17) sponsored by Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, designating today as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Pennsylvania.
"It is important that African-Americans in Pennsylvania and across the United States get educated about, get tested for, get involved with and get treated for HIV/AIDS. Prevention is the best solution," said Wheatley, who organized today's events.
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