UW Health holds World AIDS community day event

“Of this figure, only 61 persons are accessing treatment, representing just 22.6 per cent of our HIV positive persons”. But that is not enough, she says, because the system is failing a lot of people and causing them to default on medication.

AIDS affects more than 40,000 people in the United States with almost 1,200 living in Maine. Discussions about AIDS and speeches will be organised by NGOs, government and non-government organisations, individuals and health officials across the globe on this day to raise awareness about AIDS pandemic.

However, on an global level, Vanderschaeghe said many other countries are still struggling with the basic need of diagnosis.

Sponsored by Camp Chrysalis, a Midcoast-based summer camp founded in 1990 that served children and families affected by HIV/AIDS, the vigil corresponds with World AIDS Day.

Dr. Reeder says since so many uninsured people use the emergency room for their primary care, the HIV screening may be the only means for them to get the test.

“HIV is a disease ravaging our community”, student Paige Williams said. In fact, Wednesday marked a major breakthrough in the fight against the HIV virus, which if controlled can prevent full blown AIDS from developing.

Despite decades of high profile campaigns to educate the public about HIV and AIDS, the United States still sees approximately 40,000 new infections of HIV every year.

According to UNAIDS, more than 36,000,000 people across the globe live with HIV.

“I think we can stay open for the next year”, executive director for AIDS Society of Canada Gary Lacasse said tentatively.

Expert speakers at the conference discussed subjects such as HIV disease prevention, risk reduction, the potential for reaching zero new HIV infections, and much more.