LOUISVILLE, Ky. — More than one million people in the United States are living with HIV and 13% don’t know they have the disease and need testing.
On World AIDS day, Kentucky leaders rallied in Louisville to bring an end to the epidemic in Kentucky.
Holding up signs reading “Fight AIDS NOT People with AIDS” and “HIV Criminalization kills,”… The message was clear.
“We will not let the people who are living with HIV and AIDS and the people we have lost to HIV and AIDS be forgotten,” said District 3 Louisville Metro councilwoman, Shameka Parrish-Wright.
Parrish -Wright added, “I’m more concerned with people who are dying from immune-compromising things that are preventable, that are treatable and that need to have that access to care and services. We have a chance to get it right. Our numbers are alarming, locally, in our state, in our region.”
Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ 2022 Annual HIV/AIDS Annual Surveillance Report reported just over 11,800 cumulative HIV infections were diagnosed and reported as of Dec. 31, 2021. This truly matters to Ryan Jacobs.
“It’s important for me, because I’ve lived with it for nine years now. I was lucky. I was able to catch my diagnosis early. I got treatment. I’ve been undetectable for nine years. That’s not the case for Black and brown brothers and sisters, that’s not the case for our houseless community. They don’t have access to testing, they don’t have access to care,” said Jacobs, who is a leader with Vocal KY.
Jacobs said access to education and treatment are key. “You can take a pill now, you can take a pill a day to prevent you from transmitting the disease, or catching the disease. Right now, as treatment goes, I get a shot every two months. So, every two months, it keeps me undetectable and undetectable equals un-transmittable.”
The Centers for Disease Control recommends everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. They also say HIV tests are covered by health insurance without a co-pay. If you don’t have health insurance, some places offer tests for free or low-cost. Call 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)
to find a testing site or call 1-866-436-6527 to get a self-test for free. .