The following is a statement from National Minority AIDS Council Director of Legislative & Public Affairs Kali Lindsey:
Washington, DC – “The National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) is proud to stand with its friends and allies in the larger HIV/AIDS and public health community in marking the 7th annual National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD) on March 10. At a time when the reproductive health rights of women are under increasing attack, NWGHAAD is not only a day to raise awareness of the epidemic’s toll on America’s women and girls, but also a day for action.
“Women bare a heavy burden of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, especially young women and women of color. More than 290,000 women are currently living with HIV in the U.S. and almost a quarter of all new infections in this country are among women. What’s more, women of color are disproportionately impacted by the epidemic. Infection rates among African American women and Latinas are fifteen and four times as high as White women respectively. Studies also suggest that women, especially women of color, face more barriers in accessing quality health care services than men, and as a result suffer poorer health outcomes comparatively.
“Our nation must step up its efforts to combat this epidemic and ensure the health of our mothers, sisters and daughters. Specifically, Congress should maintain adequate funding for Ryan White Part D programs, which focus on women and youth and received an almost $8 million cut in President Obama’s 2013 budget request. NMAC is committed to working with Congress, the President and the larger HIV/AIDS community to reduce HIV-related health disparities facing women. Among other efforts, NMAC is highlighting women as the target population for this year’s U.S. Conference on AIDS, the largest annual AIDS-related gathering in the country. On this NWGAAD, we urge all women to get educated, get tested and join the fight to bring an end to this epidemic once and for all.”
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Contact: Kyle Murphy, (202) 483-6622 ext. 333
kmurphy@nmac.org