The Charleston-Kanawha Health Department began mobile HIV testing
two times a week in April. So far that program has detected three new positives in the county. These aren’t large scale testing events. Instead they are meant to target those most at-risk.
“When you have HIV and they collect your information, we look at zip codes. And so we can identify down to the zip code pretty closely where people are,” Young said.
The program has also reconnected nine HIV-positive people back to the healthcare system.
State
data shows among new HIV cases in the past two years in Kanawha County, a quarter have never sought treatment. Those who are struggling with addiction and insecure housing can have a difficult time making appointments and sticking to a medical routine, said Dr. Christine Teague of the Ryan White Foundation at CAMC.
Charleston Approves New Regulations For Needle Exchanges wvpublic.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wvpublic.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Needle Exchange
A bill was recently introduced in the West Virginia State Legislature that would outlaw some of the state s most effective needle exchange programs. SB 334 was introduced by Senators Eric Tarr and Amy Grady; both are Republicans for District 4, which includes Mason, Jackson, Roane and Putnam counties. SB 334 would create a stricter license application process for harm reduction programs.
Talking about HIV and other needle-borne illnesses can be scary maybe that’s why so many of us don’t talk about it. But what if the stigmas are causing these health crises to worsen?
HIV can spread throughout communities quickly, especially in places where there are high rates of people who use drugs. Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that Charleston, West Virginia, has the nation’s most alarming outbreak of HIV. Public health officials have been warning for years that Appalachia is vulnerable to outbreaks of the disease.