World AIDS Day 2011 - What Will it Take?

On this World AIDS Day, December 1, 2011, the Black Women’s Health Imperative joins with others from around the world in commemorating those who have lost their struggle with HIV/AIDS and in raising awareness of the work that still needs to be done.  This is a day to unite and remember and also recognize the many strides made in the fight against the disease.  For the first time in the 30-year history of the epidemic in this country, we have reason to believe that we may be on a path of achieving a critical milestone—an “AIDS-free generation.”                                                                                                                                                  

Achieving this goal to have a generation free of AIDS is a bold step yet attainable thanks to the creation of the first-ever National HIV/AIDS Strategy, life-saving antiretroviral drug regimens for HIV-positive persons, along with treatment regimens and infant feeding guidelines for pregnant women  that can reduce risk of transmission by as much as 96%, and advances achieved with the establishment of testing in the essential preventive health benefits for women included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  

But along with this possibility comes the harsh reality that not everyone will have the opportunity to benefit from the potential promises of the beginning of the end of AIDS.  Despite all of the advancements made, there is still a pathetically decreasing amount of attention paid to the impact of this disease on women of color, especially Black women, as we are seeing rates increase in other groups. 

Which brings to mind my question…What will it take for Black women to “get to zero”?

As national, state and local organizations work diligently to provide the needed HIV education, testing, treatment, support and prevention services, the Black Women’s Health Imperative will continue to fight to ensure Black women are a priority population within these efforts, calling for more gender- and culturally specific programs and services for Black women. 

Throughout the coming year, we too will work diligently to examine the issue of what will it take for  Black women to “get to zero.” Promoting collaboration and dialogue with other women’s groups nationally and locally to ensure Black women have an equal opportunity to achieve the promise of reducing HIV transmission and that better access to quality prevention and treatment services will be a priority.  

Collectively, we will work to ensure that implementation and action plans take into consideration the very real life circumstances and lived lives of Black women. This is an opportune time for us to prepare to meet the ongoing challenge of fighting to make  sexual and reproductive justice  a reality and protect the  right for Black women to have access to the tools, resources and opportunities needed to end this epidemic.

Only then will we be able to truly realize that AIDS-free generation that we so desperately need so that Black women can be part of the promise of an AIDS free world.