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Congressman Johnson Marks World AIDS Day

December 1, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) marked December 1st as World AIDS Day and recommitted to addressing the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.

"The AIDS epidemic is a public health crisis that affects every community," said Rep. Johnson. "But despite the tragic toll of this disease, we are making historic progress to halt this epidemic in its tracks. U.S. initiatives like the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Ryan White AIDS Program have saved millions of lives around the world and here at home."

"We must continue building on our efforts and be more proactive to eradicate HIV/AIDS, one of the most socially stigmatized diseases. Despite the tremendous gains we've made in prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, more than 36 million people worldwide are living with the illness. In the United States, more than a million people are living with HIV – and one out of every seven HIV-positive Americans don't know that they've been infected," added Johnson. "The United Nations believes we can achieve an AIDS-free generation by 2030, but that requires action to address the persistent gaps in education and care. On World AIDS Day and every day, I am committed to saving lives and protecting critical public health programs."

The theme for World AIDS Day 2017 is "Increasing Impact through Transparency, Accountability, and Partnerships." To find an HIV testing site near you, click here.

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Issues:Health Care