WABE: Atlanta to Host First National HIV/AIDS Community Discussion (2009-08-24)

Science

Atlanta to Host First National HIV/AIDS Community Discussion

Odette Yousef (2009-08-24)

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ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - The White House will launch its effort to build a national strategy to fight HIV and AIDS with a community discussion in Atlanta tomorrow. Three thousand people are expected at the forum, which is part of the 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference held downtown this week. WABE's Odette Yousef reports.

The discussion will be the first of many around the country, hosted by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. President Obama promised to come up with a national plan to combat the disease.

Dr. Carlos Del Rio says it's about time:

DEL RIO: The United States has, of all the developed countries, the worst epidemic. We have an unacceptably high level of HIV.

Del Rio is chairman of the Rollins School of Public Health and Professor of Infectious Disease and Medicine at Emory University. Conference aside, he says there's another reason to launch the discussions here.

DEL RIO: Atlanta has one of the most significant epidemics in the country right now. The epidemic in this country is primarily nowadays growing the most in the southeastern United States.

The forum will be hosted by Del Rio, a White House representative, local health officials and Atlanta-based outreach groups.

Odette Yousef, WABE News.
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