BROWARD COUNTY, FL - December is AIDS Awareness Month and in support, the Ryan White Part A Program encourages everyone to wear red on Tuesday, December 3rd, to further community awareness. Ryan White service providers will be honored that morning in the presentation of a Broward County proclamation recognizing their efforts in innovative and integrated HIV care and treatment, in response to Broward's significant epidemic. The Broward County Commission will present the proclamation at 10AM in the Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Room 422.
Broward County ranks second in the nation in the number of new HIV cases per capita. With a population exceeding 1.9 million people, 20,041 Broward residents are currently living with HIV. In 2018, Ryan White Part A clients numbered 8,458, with a demographic makeup inclusive of all gender types and ethnicities. Today HIV touches all populations and for those who seek care and stay in care, it can be a manageable condition with which one can live a long and healthy life.
"As Broward faces this challenge head on, every county resident can do their part," said Mayor Dale V.C. Holness. "First, know your HIV status and make testing a routine part of your annual checkup. If you are living with HIV, get care and stay in care. That enables you to attain undetectable status, which means you cannot transmit the HIV virus to anyone. My heartfelt thanks to the Ryan White Part A Program for providing critical HIV services and for all their efforts throughout the Broward community to treat and beat HIV."
Stop by the Governmental Center lobby and Government Center West to check-out the Ryan White Part A display and learn more about HIV. To contact Ryan White Part A Program, call 954-357-9797 or visit Broward.org/RyanWhite. Like us on Facebook.com/GetCareBroward and follow us on Twitter @GetCareBroward.
About Broward County's Ryan White Part A Program
Broward County's Ryan White Part A Program is under Health Care Services of the Community Partnerships Division. It was established in 1991 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is federally funded. The program provides comprehensive HIV medical and support services to uninsured and underinsured Broward County residents. In addition, the Ryan White Minority AIDS initiative was instituted to improve health outcomes for eligible HIV-positive persons from racial and ethnic minorities. For more information about Ryan White Part A Program, call 954-357-9797 or visit our website.
DATE: November 21, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT: Leonard Jones, Human Services Manager
PHONE: 954-357-5394
EMAIL: ljones@broward.org