WEDNESDAY IS NATIONAL BLACK
HIV/AIDS DAY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 6, 2007
Contact: Judy Myers, (914) 995-7948
In recognition of tomorrow, February 7, 2007 as National Black HIV/AIDS day, County Legislator Judy Myers (D,I,WF- Larchmont), Chair of the Family, Health and Human Services Committee, and Legislator and Vice Chair of the Board Clinton Young (D-Mount Vernon) are calling the publics attention to this important day during Black History Month in Westchester.
“It is imperative that we acknowledge National Black HIV/AIDS Day in Westchester because we know that there is an increasing number of middle-aged women of color being infected in this county. We want our residents to be aware of this fact, and we want to remind them that Westchester, outside of New York City, has the highest number of people living with AIDS and HIV in the state,” Myers said. “The Family, Health and Human Services Committee is committed to making testing available and accessible in Westchester, as it is a major step in combating this disease.”
“I would like to thank Legislator Myers for continuing to work on this issue which is crucial to my district and the rest of the county,” said Vice Chairman Young. “I am very pleased that the Committee is making AIDS and HIV awareness a priority, and I plan to work closely with Legislator Myers and the rest of the Committee on ways we can improve the county’s efforts in this area.”
According to the United States Office of Minority Health, 49 percent of the more than 1 million diagnosed cases of HIV and AIDS in the United States are African Americans.
For further information about HIV/AIDS and testing sites in Westchester, residents can go to the County Department of Health’s website at www.westchestergov.com/health/AIDS_Services. Additional information about HIV/AIDS in New York State and nationally can be found at the following sites:
www.projectwaveny.org
www.blackaidsday.org
www.omhrc.gov/hivaidsobservances
www.omhrc.gov
