Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

February 7, 2020 is National Black HIV Awareness Day, a day to get facts about HIV/AIDS as they relate to the African American community. The 2020 theme is “We’re in This Together” highlighting the importance of social support from friends, family, colleagues, and partners when addressing HIV in the black community. In 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that Blacks/African Americans accounted for 43% of all HIV diagnoses in the United States and six dependent areas, despite making up 13% of the U.S. population. The CDC estimates that one in 20 black men, one in 48 black women, and one in two black gay and bisexual men will receive a diagnosis of HIV during their lifetimes. Testing is a vital part of HIV prevention. The CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV as part of their routine health care. People who test negative have prevention tools, such as PrEP (a drug used to prevent HIV) and condoms, at their disposal. People who test positive can take medications that can keep them healthy for many years and greatly reduce their chances of passing HIV to others. GO CARE Community Health Center is a local non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of HIV. GCCHC provides free and confidential HIV testing Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary, and you will know your results in approximately 20 minutes. To commemorate National Black HIV Awareness Day, GCCHC will offer free testing and serve refreshments on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Please join us for this special day of testing. . For more information, visit our website at http://www.go-care.org or give us a call at (318) 325-1092.