Biden HIV/AIDS strategy calls racism 'public health threat'
Source: AP
By AAMER MADHANI
WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration in its new HIV/AIDS strategy calls racism a public health threat that must be fully recognized as the world looks to end the epidemic.
The strategy released Wednesday on the annual commemoration of World AIDS Day is meant to serve as a framework for how the administration intends to shape its policies, research, programs and planning over the next three years.
The new strategy asserts that over generations structural inequities have resulted in racial and ethnic health disparities that are severe, far-reaching, and unacceptable.
New HIV infections in the U.S. fell about 8% from 2015 to 2019, but Black and Latino communities particularly gay and bisexual men within those groups continue to be disproportionately affected, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
President Joe Biden speaks at Dakota County Technical College, in Rosemount, Minn., Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/health-public-health-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-epidemics-cf29c55d71b0577a8aa0e73bb1bb98d1
TheRealNorth
(9,481 posts)Don't see how making racism a public health issue is going to help resolve it. It is setting public health up for failure.
cinematicdiversions
(1,969 posts)The biggest problem with AIDS is the stigma which honestly is not helped by such special treatment. When I believe Lancet pointed out that you would much rather have AIDS than a more debilitating and deadly disease such as Diabities 2 activities went nuts and attacked them. Problem was all the complaining in the world didn't make them less right.
We should celebrate the downgrading of AIDS to just another condition. Unfortunately to many people have both thier livelihoods and egos wrapped up in the battles of the past to realise it is now ancient history.
Speaking of ancient history blaming racism for unequal infection rates in various populations is certainly that. I don't think we forward a progressive agenda by infantilizing an entire culture.