Millions of people the world over live with HIV/AIDS. While the epidemic seems to be slowing here in the United States, it still rages in many African and Southeast Asian nations. Couple those rising infection rates with a shortage of medical professionals qualified to treat HIV/AIDS patients and the epidemic becomes an even larger health crisis.

Holly Burkhalter is the U.S. Policy Director for Physicians for Human Rights — an organization that thinks preserving human rights goes hand in hand with good health care. When it comes to AIDS, Burkhalter and her organization think doctors can do more than just treat patients with the illness. Burkhalter says doctors, and other professionals who work with HIV/AIDS patients, can make the best activists in the fight against AIDS. WBHM’s Rosemary Pennington spoke with Burkhalter about the idea of activist doctors.