HIV/AIDS advocates visit NC General Assembly

From North Carolina AIDS Action Network:

Advocates Educate the NC General Assembly at HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day 2016

HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day 2016 was June 7, 2016 in Raleigh, NC.

Raleigh, NC – Patients, healthcare providers, community leaders, and advocates gathered in Raleigh on Tuesday, June 7th, 2016 for HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day 2016 to raise awareness and educate North Carolina legislators about policies that improve the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS. HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day 2016 was hosted by the North Carolina AIDS Action Network, an organization working to improve the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS and affected communities through outreach and public education, policy advocacy, and community-building to increase visibility and mutual support of people living with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina. North Carolina is among the 10 U.S. states with the highest rates of new HIV and AIDS diagnoses and HIV-related deaths.

“The numerous medical advances over the past few years has changed what it means to be HIV-positive in 2016,” said Debbie Warren, Executive Director of RAIN, a Charlotte, NC-based organization that ensures access to quality, personalized care for individuals and their families who are living with HIV and associated chronic conditions. “People are not only able to live long healthy lives, but are significantly reduce the risk of HIV- transmission to others. There are about 35,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina and days like today help prioritize issues that will improve the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS in our state.”

Advocates gathered in the morning at the North Carolina History Museum at 5 E Edenton Street in Raleigh for a briefing and training on various issues impacting people living with HIV/AIDS, and then spent the day at the General Assembly meeting with legislators. While the advocates met with their local legislators, Alliance of AIDS Services- Carolinas provided free HIV testing in the 1200 Court of the General Assembly.

“HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day 2016 was such a rewarding experience because we were able to educate legislators on issues that are uniquely important to our community,” said Amanda Stem, Advocacy Supervisor from Western North Carolina AIDS Project, an Asheville, NC-based organization which builds community and legislative support for HIV treatment and prevention in western North Carolina. “It was really encouraging to hear legislators from both sides of the aisle equally as supportive of the HIV/AIDS community.”

Nearly half of people living with HIV in the U.S reside in the South, while the South also had the highest rates of both new HIV diagnoses and HIV-related deaths in the country.