HIV screenings no longer free at Health Department stat : The Clarion-Ledger

(Photo: SARAH GRILE/TREASURE COAST NEWSP)In the midst of an HIV epidemic, the state Department of Health will begin charging for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases testing. Related: Health Department ponders what programs to scuttle, layoffsHowever, she said, "They're looking at numbers but they're not considering people." Acknowledging Mississippi's budget crisis, Deja Abdul-Haqq, director of organizational development for My Brother's Keeper in Jackson, said of the Health Department, "I'm sure they have their reasons." Effective July 1, the Health Department will begin charging a $25 fee for all STD and HIV tests and lab work at all of its clinics. The Mississippi Department of Health did not respond to interview requests.




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Missouri plans to get rid of free HIV testing

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's HIV testing search engine, there are fourteen places to get HIV testing in a 10 mile radius of Jackson, and only six places that give "free HIV testing." HIV testing prevents the virus from spreadingHIV testing is often the first line of defense in stopping transmission of the virus. Four out of 10 gay or bisexual men in Jackson are HIV positive, the highest rate for gay men in the nation. A recent CDC estimate said that one in two black gay men could become HIV positive if current trends continue. Additionally, due to structural inequalities like poverty, black gay men are highly vulnerable to HIV infection.


collected by :Lucy William
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