CDC Director Visits Alabama to Discuss Ending HIV
The director of the Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Robert Redfield, met with public health leaders in Montgomery on Friday to discuss strategies to combat HIV and tour a clinic that provides health and wellness services to people with HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and other life-threatening illnesses.
Thank you to CDC Director Dr. Redfield and so many of our rural health colleagues and representatives of the media for joining us @MAOofAlabama today for a tour of MAO’s clinic in Montgomery. pic.twitter.com/WYhBgpJXcP
— MAOofAlabama (@MAOofAlabama) June 14, 2019
Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced plans to invest more than $290 million to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. Alabama is one of seven states that will receive money through the proposal.
“Alabama is one of the states where its major HIV acquisition is in a sense more complicated,” Redfield said during a press conference, “Because it’s in a rural environment.”
According to data from the CDC, Alabama had the nation’s 11th-highest rate of new HIV diagnoses in 2017. Approximately one in six residents infected with the disease are undiagnosed. Redfield said one challenge is combatting a higher level of stigma in rural communities. He said state leaders have to “normalize” HIV so people feel comfortable getting tested and treated. He also noted the need to reach young black and Latino men. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, more than 70% of people recently diagnosed with HIV in the state were black.
“We don’t need to develop an initiative that keeps doing what we’re already doing,” Redfield said, “which hasn’t reached the individuals that we’re trying to reach.”
Today, I learned from #Alabama public health officials and researchers, how @CDCgov can better diagnose those living with #HIV, treat their infections rapidly, protect those at risk, & respond rapidly to growing HIV clusters. #EndHIVEpidemic pic.twitter.com/JXwGW4RiVe
— Dr. Robert R. Redfield (@CDCDirector) June 14, 2019
Nationwide, the goal of the Trump administration is to reduce new HIV infections by 75 percent in five years and by at least 90 percent in 10 years. It’s part of the administration’s 2020 budget, which also includes budget cuts for programs that fund treatment of HIV overseas.
What should you do in a flash flood? Expert safety tips for before, during and after
Flash floods can start suddenly and become dangerous quickly. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself, both in the moment and well in advance.
A recent high-profile case of AI hallucination serves as a stark warning
MyPillow creator Mike Lindell's lawyers were fined thousands for submitting a legal filing riddled with AI-generated mistakes. It highlights a dilemma of balancing technology and using it responsibly.
A dive into mermaid camp
Mermaids may not be real, but that hasn’t stopped people from turning it into a career. Mermaiding isn’t just about fantasy. It’s about building real confidence and skills that carry over into other water sports.
This TikTok video is fake, but every word was taken from a real creator
TikTok researchers and users say there is yet another type of deception to look out for on the hit video app: Deepfake videos that copy the exact words of a real creator but in a different voice.
Why a new opioid alternative is out of reach for some pain patients
Journavx is the first truly new painkiller approved by the Food and Drug Administration in more than 20 years. But the drug is expensive, and many people can't get it yet.
Welcome to the Queue, where waiting for Wimbledon tickets rivals the tennis
Tennis lovers don costumes, throw Pimm's parties and camp overnight in line for day-of Wimbledon tickets. Some say waiting in the Queue is more fun than the actual tennis.