Mega Doctor News
EL PASO, Texas – As part of World AIDS Day, celebrated December 1, the City of El Paso Department of Public Health (DPH) is partnering with La Fe Care Center to provide referral assistance for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA).
HOPWA provides allocations and competitively-awarded grants to eligible states, cities, and nonprofit organizations to provide housing assistance and related supportive services to meet the housing needs of low-income persons and their families living with HIV/AIDS.
Health officials invite individuals interested in more information to the “World AIDS Day, Aiding the Community” event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, December 1 at La Fe CARE Center, 1505 Mescalero Ave.
DPH will also be providing free confidential HIV Testing from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, December 1 at 701 Montana Ave. They also provide testing during their regular business hours every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
This year’s theme for World AIDS Day is “Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV.” It encourages people to unite globally to eliminate the disparities and inequities that create barriers to HIV testing, prevention, and access to HIV care. #WorldAIDSDay
World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988. Each year, organizations and individuals across the world bring attention to the HIV epidemic, endeavor to increase HIV awareness and knowledge, speak out against HIV stigma, and call for an increased response to move toward Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services as of 2021, 2,455 El Paso County residents live with HIV. Data shows that the Hispanic population bears the highest burden of people living with HIV in El Paso, as they comprise over 85% of cases.
According to the CDC, an estimated 1.1 million people in the United States had HIV at the end of 2019, the most recent year for which this information is available. Of those people, about 13% did not know they were living with HIV.
Globally, HIV continues to be a major public health issue. In 2021, an estimated 38 million people were living with HIV (including 1.8 million children).
For more information on the HIV Prevention program, call 2-1-1 or visit EPHealth.com under the HIV Prevention Tab.
