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WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT AIDS IN HAWAI’I
1. If you are HIV-positive, DON"T spread it! Inform you partners. Practice safer sex. Never share needles. If you are HIV-negative, STAY that way! Get tested. Practice safer sex. Never share needles. Abstinence and monogamy work best. Limiting partners and using condoms help reduce risks. Don’t Spread the Epidemic!
2. Volunteer to help at one of Hawai'i’s AIDS Service Organizations. They need and welcome volunteers of all backgrounds. See "Related Links" topic above this webpage.
3. Make a Donation to one of the AIDS Service Organizations below. They need financial support more than ever…any amount is welcome. 4. Write a letter to the Hawaii State Governor, your Hawaii State Legislators, or the President.
Tell them that you think they should do more to end the epidemic by providing strong leadership and supporting more funding for AIDS prevention and care services in Hawai'i, the nation, and around the world. * Email the Honorable Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle at Governor.Lingle@hawaii.gov or contact her at the Hawaii State Capitol, Executive Chambers, Honolulu, HI 96813. Phone: (808)586-0034 THE REALITY IS....
1. AIDS Isn’t Over. HIV is still an Epidemic in Hawai'i in 2008.
There is still no cure for AIDS. While AIDS deaths are down due to better treatment, new HIV infections are still a major concern. HIV numbers in Hawai'i are growing. An estimated 3,000 people in Hawaii are infected with HIV or have AIDS. All ethnic groups are affected. A growing number of recent cases are occurring in the Hawaiian, Part-Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Islander communities. While programs are expensive, hospitalization is far more expensive. Successful treatment saves as much as $20,000 per patient per year (Barcelona AIDS Conference, July, 2002). The Hawai'i Drug Assistance Program (HDAP) needs additional funding NOW to continue providing vital medications to all those in Hawai'i who need them. This is our highest priority! 2. Prevention Now is Better (and cheaper) than Treatment Later.
Treating one case of HIV / AIDS costs at least 10 times as much as preventing an HIV infection. (Holtgrave, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, July 2002). 3. AIDS Drugs Are Expensive and Don’t Work Perfectly.
Research shows that AIDS/HIV drugs don’t work well in 20% to 50% of patients. More than half of the people on combination drug therapies are having serious and debilitating side effects as well as problems adhering to the complex drug regimens. People with HIV who are poor, homeless, addicted, or mentally ill often have great difficulty getting access to treatment and care.
4. Needs Grow / Dollars Shrink.
State and Federal funding for HIV/AIDS is not keeping up with growing needs. People with HIV/AIDS are living longer using combination drug therapies but still need publicly-funded health and social services. With the number of client deaths lowered (thankfully!) and new clients continually entering the system, existing services are threatened and can’t keep up without more public and private support.
Contributions from individuals, foundations, and businesses are down as the mistaken idea spreads that "AIDS is Over."
5. Treating People Well is Cheaper than Treating Them Poorly.
Getting people into treatment slows the decline of their immune systems and saves money. Treatment allows many to return to productive work instead of being forced to rely on the expensive and overburdened Medicaid system. While the drugs provided by HDAP are expensive, hospitalization is far more expensive. Successful treatment saves as much as $20,000 per patient per year (Barcelona AIDS Conference, July, 2002). |
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