IT’s part of World AIDS Day.
Frederick, Md (KM) Sunday, December 1st, 2024 is the 37th annual World AIDS Day. This year’s theme is “Ending the HIV Epidemic: Resilience, Action and Hope.” “Resilience is how we have survived the epidemic since the 1980’s, and then hope is to eventually find a cure,” says Becky Coyle, the Coordinator of Special Programs for the HIV Program at the Frederick County Health Department. HIV Is the virus that causes AIDS.
There is no cure for AIDS at this time, but Coyle says it can be controlled so those who have contracted the HIV virus that causes AIDS can live normal lives. But the first thing to do is get tested. “Once you get the diagnosis of HIV, we connect you to care. The Health Department can help facilitate case management, help you with your labs, connect you to a provider to treat the HIV and keep you on your medications,”: she says.
Coyle says the medications have changed over the years for persons with HIV/AIDS. “And I think here in the local region that we’re close to finding a cure,”: she said. “Advances in HIV treatment have gone from a handfuls of pills a day to some people take one pill a day, and now there’s a {vaccine} option that people can take every other month.”
“The goal is to eventually reach an undetectable load,” Coyle says. “Once you’ve reached that undetectable viral load, then that means you can’t transmit the virus sexually.”
Because they may be expensive, Coyle says there are state programs to help AIDS patients pay for these medications. “The Maryland AIDS Drug Assistances Program that will help cover the cost of the HIV medications. Also, many of the oral forms of HIV medication is covered under Maryland Medicaid and commercial health insurance plans,” she says.
When it comes to AIDS prevention Coyle says the local emphasis is on specific sectors of the local population. “We’re prioritizing specific populations which are men, Hispanic, and Black African-American males. They are highest at risk in ages 20 to 40 are the most at-risk age groups for contacting HIV in our area,” she says.
There will be an event to mark World AIDS Day. “We are doing a remembrance walk on Saturday, December 7th starting at the Baker Park Bandshell and we’ll walk around Baker Park to the Frederick Center’s new location on 2nd Street for HIV testing and education,” says Coyle. The walk is sponsored by the HIV Coalition.
The event will take place from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. The Frederick County Health Department will offer free HIV/AIDS testing at the end of the walk.
Testing for HIV/AIDS is held Tuesdays and Fridays at the Health Department on Montevue Lane from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Appointments for testing can be made outside of those times by calling 301-600-1733.
By Kevin McManus