Posted at 1:48 a.m., Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Hawaii to observe World AIDS Day on Saturday
Advertiser Staff
Hawaii will join with communities throughout the world on Saturday in a unified observance of World AIDS Day.Nancy Kern, HIV/STV prevention coordinator for the state Department of Health, said that although it has been 25 years since HIV was first identified, it remains a highly stigmatized condition. A key goal of World AIDS Day is to continue to educate and increase compassion for those who are at risk and HIV-positive.
According to statistics gathered in Hawaii:
i An estimated 2,300 to 3,200 individuals here are HIV positive.
i As of June 30, there were 2,975 reported cases of AIDS.
i A total of 89 new AIDS cases were reported from July 2006 to June 2007, 90 percent of which were among males.
