Series Of Events Planned In Philly For AIDS Education Month
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- June is AIDS Education Month -- and Thursday kicks off a series of events designed to keep the positive momentum in the fight to end HIV.
Thirty years ago, an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. Today, the number of diagnosis are down and those with the disease who get treatment are able to live long lives.
"We have some really good and new strategies to both prevent HIV and to treat HIV," says Juliet Fink Yates, Director of Education at Philadelphia FIGHT. "We are actually in a very good moment."
New prevention treatments include PREP, a daily pill that is 96 percent effective in preventing HIV. There's also once a day treatment for those living with the disease.
"There's also new research in the pipeline for a cure," says Fink Yates.
But the fight is not over.
"It's not just about HIV, it's also about all the things that intersect with HIV," she says.
Diseases like Hepatitis C and the uptick in heroin use have raised red flags. So the group has organized a calendar of events throughout June around the theme "One Community, Recommitting to the FIGHT" to help keep the positive momentum going.
"We want to get the general public to understand as much as humanly possible that if you get tested and get into treatment, you can live a long healthy life," she says.
The events begin June 1, 2017 with the Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony at the Independence Visitors Center, which will honor two HIV/AID activists, Roy Hayes and Cleve Jones. Other events include the Reunion Project on June 3rd and the End AIDS: The HIV Prevention and Outreach Summit at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
For a full list of events, including how to get tickets to the Hip Hop for Philly concert, go to aidseducationmonth.org.
