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South Texas healthcare and HIV
service providers state that adoption of the new US Preventive Services Task
Force guidelines for routine HIV testing for all pregnant women and everyone
between the ages of 15 and 65 is crucial to stopping the epidemic in the United
States. Chris Van Deusen, spokesperson for the Department of State Health
Services, reported that one-third of HIV-infected Texans are unaware they have
the virus; late diagnosis can result in the development of AIDS.
However, Dr. Ruben Martinez, director
of the Westbrook Clinic in Harlingen, emphasized that the development of new
medications means that HIV/AIDS no longer has to be a fatal disease. Anti-HIV
drugs can return even patients diagnosed with advanced AIDS to undetectable
viral loads, and successful treatment decreases the rate of HIV transmission by
96 percent. Martinez reported that the rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission
was 28 percent before the current generation of HIV drugs were available;
treatment of pregnant, HIV-infected women has cut the rate to .5 percent now.
Martinez believed it was possible to
stop HIV/AIDS within one generation by identifying HIV-infected people, putting
them on HIV medications, and keeping them on their treatment regimen. Oscar
Lopez, Valley AIDS Council director of education, recommended free, regular HIV
screening to reduce the HIV epidemic in the United States.
The Westbrook Clinic in Harlingen
gives free HIV and STD tests from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The
Harlingen clinic also provides HIV treatment and assistance with locating
funding for medications and treatment. Westbrook Clinic locations in McAllen
and Brownsville offer HIV and STD testing, but no services. Individuals may
call the Valley AIDS Council at (956) 428–2653 for additional information.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
