In honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) will host a free HIV/AIDS testing and counseling event at the Marietta Public Health Center on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. as part of a community initiative designed to encourage Black men and women to get educated, get tested, get involved, and get treated.
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) HIV Surveillance Summary, black/non-hispanic men and women made up almost ¾ of all new HIV infection diagnoses reported in 2015 in Georgia – the most recent available data. Black men were the hardest hit by HIV, accounting for more than 80 percent of new infections. Similar numbers were reported for black men and women diagnosed with AIDS in Georgia the same year. These numbers contributed to the more than 17,600 African Americans diagnosed with HIV in the United States in 2015, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“The numbers of black men and women affected by HIV continue to be high, and the trend is staggering,” said Rachel Franklin, director of epidemiology at Cobb & Douglas Public Health. “That’s why it’s so important to bring awareness of these numbers to our communities. We want people to know that there are treatments and hope for them if they’ve been infected, and ways to prevent becoming infected if they’re at risk.”
Testing is free, confidential and open to everyone. New INSTI™ testing devices provide results within 60 seconds.
What:
Free HIV/AIDS Testing and Counseling
When:
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where:
Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Marietta Public Health Center, Building A Boardroom
1650 County Services Parkway
Marietta, GA 30008
For more information about this event or other HIV/AIDS services at CDPH, please call 770-514-2815 or visit www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org/hiv.
About National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
February 7, 2018 marks the 18th year for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), a national HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative targeted at Blacks in the United States and the Diaspora. NBHAAD was founded in 1999 as a national response to the growing HIV and AIDS epidemic in African American communities. The NBHAAD initiative leverages a national platform to educate, bring awareness, and mobilize the African American community. NBHAAD has four key focus areas which encourage people to:
- Get Educated about HIV and AIDS
- Get Involved in community prevention efforts
- Get Tested to know their status
- Get Treated to receive the continuum of care needed to live with HIV/AIDS
For more information about National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, visit www.nationalblackaidsday.org.
About Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Cobb & Douglas Public Health, along with the Georgia Department of Public Health, has been committed to the mission of “Healthier Lives. Healthier Community.” since 1920. We are dedicated to improving our residents’ quality of life by tracking and preventing the spread of disease, promoting health and safety, providing exceptional medical services, and ensuring that our community is prepared for public health emergencies. For more information, visit www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org.