Listen Up Obama: The HIV/AIDS Virus Has Moved South

If you have had your head above water, you likely have noticed that South Carolina has been in the news a lot lately. First there was our governor's Brazilian waxing-poetic, followed by a state partisan's hurling of insults at Mrs. Obama, and then there was of course The Outburst, by Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) which will live in infamy both locally and nationally.

No, the news has not been good for South Carolina. But, regrettably, things here may be even worse than you imagine.

South Carolina, like a number of states in the Southeastern region, is being devastated by a silent enemy that hasn't attracted a lot of media attention lately: HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers South Carolina one of the top-ten HIV "hot spots" in the nation. We have the 8th-highest AIDS rate in the U.S., yet apparently neither we nor our region have made it onto many policymakers' radar screens.

On Monday, Oct 26th representatives from the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) will be in our capital for a town hall meeting, and we are very grateful to them for coming to South Carolina. State health professionals, community-based organizations and HIV/AIDS advocates will have the opportunity not only to voice concerns, but also to make their recommendations about what the federal government can do to help states such as South Carolina -- those that are southern, primarily rural, economically depressed, and revenue-poor -- get on top of this public health problem. Many of us are hoping that members of South Carolina's own Congressional delegation will be tuned in, if not attending themselves.

Also, now is the critical time of year when a House-Senate conference committee will zero-in on the federal budget's Labor, Health & Human Services and Education appropriations for next fiscal year. A move is afoot within the House and Senate to resuscitate the failed Abstinence-Only Beast that sits like a troll in a very Grimm tale, waiting and willing to eat our young (or anyone else) to sustain itself. That any member of South Carolina's own Congressional delegation would vote to pour millions more of tax payers' dollars into abstinence-only-until-marriage programs -- rather than investing in HIV-prevention in South Carolina -- is unfathomable. It also would indicate a serious lack of understanding on the part of our Congressional representatives about the seriousness of HIV in our state.

HIV is no less than a public health crisis in South Carolina. We have few public or private resources to dedicate to preventing the spread of HIV. This is not the time for ambivalence in Washington, nor is it a time when we can allow ourselves to be victimized by Congressional compromises or back room deal-making -- and HIV-prevention should not be overshadowed by Congressional representatives' personal or ideological ties to the abstinence-only gluttons back home. Reinvesting in abstinence-only funding streams not only would divert needed funds from HIV-prevention at home, but also would cause further obstruction of medically accurate sexual health education in our schools and communities. South Carolinians have suffered too much from this already. In fact, some of the responsibility for the growth of our HIV epidemic could arguably be laid at the feet of those who have worked vigorously to censor public health information.

To House Majority Whip and Congressman James Clyburn (SC 6th), to Congressman John Spratt (SC 5th), and to U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham: You are our state's best hope. You have supported federal funding for treatment of South Carolinians, who are infected with HIV/AIDS, via Ryan White renewals, and all South Carolinians should be thankful to each of you for your support, which has been and will continue to be vital. However, only a small portion of federal funding to date has been dedicated to HIV prevention, and we must have more funding to put more boots-on-the-ground to prevent HIV here at home.

HIV-prevention work is inherently labor-intensive in the South. Southern, rural communities are hardest hit and hardest to reach. Also, we need more prevention-soldiers to fan out among historically black colleges and universities, to protect many of our "best and brightest" so that they do not become infected with HIV. (Almost one-third of new HIV cases in South Carolina are transmitted heterosexually.)

A major, federally funded, multi-year public health campaign is needed to educate people about how to prevent HIV infection. A federal mandate for comprehensive health education in our schools is needed, including mandatory education about sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. There are evaluated, evidence-based programs that tell us what to do; we simply need the funding to implement them with fidelity.

Last year, when House Majority Whip Clyburn announced the passage of H.R. 5501, the Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, he stated, "Helping to prevent the spread of infectious diseases around the world is a moral responsibility of the United States government and one which this New Direction Congress takes very seriously."

It is time for an equally ambitious and dedicated investment at home.

by Bonnie Adams Kapp, Executive Director of the New Morning Foundation
Originally published on rhrealitycheck.org

HIV/Aids in South Carolina from Stuart Productions on Vimeo.

 

Comments

[Gidster]

There seems to be far too much religion in SC politics!

Church groups want to ban access to sex education, and any and all prophylactics, seeing unwanted pregnancies, STDs and HIV as "God's punishment" for sexual activity.

This is the result of the American Evangelical "Taliban" movement seeping into government....

[Brezzydee]

I live in South Carolina, my oldest son died from AIDS six years ago. I know the battle that we face in this state. Number one, education and funding is the key. I have used my own money and time, teaching teen girls and their parents about HIV/AIDS for years. Here in South Carolina if there is no volunteer help, then there is no help. This article bring attention to a huge problem that no one talk about here in the bible belt.

A lot of people feel that if they don't talk about a problem it will just go away. Not happening. They don't even whisper the words HIV/AIDS, and so many of them still in this day and age, think that you should not talk about such things, and they would not be caught dead in a class or hugging someone who may be infected. It's sad. So many, many people die alone here. Some of them, their family and friends will not even come around once they find out they have HIV or AIDS. So their last days are spent frightened and alone.

So I hope some sunlight can be brought to HIV Prevention and education, and some funds to cover classes. So many people need to be educated. They can leave the abstinence education to the parents. These people need to know the real deal. So called abstinence education is a waste of government money.

[timetorevolt]

Education plays an important role in preventing the spread of any disease. When the politicians of these states reject education relating to sex or reproductive organs this is the outcome.

[LMPE]

I suspect that Mark Sanford is going to resist this. The Family no doubt believes itself to be better than anyone afflicted with AIDS, and so he doesn't want to betray his organization.

[socalgal38]

Isn't HIV socialism? It's too bad their reps in Washington could care less. If we had single payer health care these people would get treatment. Oh wait that is socialism.