Maine to Lose a Third of Its Federal HIV Funding in 2014

Maine is bracing for the loss of a third of its federal funding for HIV AIDS, as the feds target scarce dollars to urban states with high caseloads.

Maine was facing immediate cuts, but Maine Center for Disease Control Director Dr. Sheila Pinnette successfully appealed the decision, according to Capitol News Service.

But Pinnette warns that the cuts are coming. "What's the impact? Well, our priority for the state of Maine is to continue to do HIV testing," she says. "We feel that it's very important to continue carrying out the practices we have over the last 10 years, such as target outreach, HIV testing and continue to strengthen our partnerships."

Pinnette says Maine's strategy has paid off: She says the state is expecting only about eight new cases of HIV-AIDS to be diagnosed this year.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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