CDC Grants $21 Million for HIV Prevention Among Minority Communities
CDC has issued 27 grants totaling $21 million to organizations that run HIV/AIDS prevention programs targeting African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asia and Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino communities that are at a high risk of HIV infection, according to a CDC release. The grants represent an increase of almost $760,000 over last year's capacity building funding, which is used by organizations to strengthen infrastructure, prevention initiatives and community planning, as well as increase access to and use of prevention services. "Minority communities are disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic," HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said, adding, "Partnerships with these communities are critical if we are to get testing and treatment to the people at risk and ultimately reduce the number of new infections" (CDC release, 4/7). A CDC report published in the Feb. 20 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report said that 55% of new HIV infections between 1999 and 2002 were among blacks, compared with 31% among whites and 11% among Hispanics. Although blacks and Hispanics represent only 21% of the population in the states examined in the report, they accounted for 84% of new HIV cases acquired through heterosexual contact, according to the report (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/20). A complete list of the CDC grantees is available online.
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