The Conversation Starts Here

In what can only be described as fantasy masquerading as academic/scientific publishing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has released a piece (pdf) looking at how the agency has responded to the HIV pandemic in the Black community in the U.S.

And while they do a fine job of putting on their rosy glasses, and as the agency is wont to do when confronted with this epidemic, spin a lovely song and dance number– the fact remains the agency’s response to the epidemic has been, from the start, pathetic.

And they spend several pages talking about all they have done to address the epidemic in the Black community, but the most stunning and most appalling fact they release is that only 4%– YES 4%– of the fed’s funding for HIV/AIDS response is spent on prevention. That number the researchers note has declined.

So, let me get this right– The CDC wants us to praise them for prevention programs which focus on those already infected, and then to be overwhelmingly excited that they spend on 4% of their budget on prevention programs directed at stopping the epidemic?  Right. Oh yeah, and half of that funding, 2%, is targeted at communities of color.

The piece claims the interventions and prevention models are successful. Really? How is that, considering 50,000 people are year being infected? How is that when here in Ingham county, we continue to see an annual increase in new cases of between 10 and 15 and have since the late 90’s? Just how exactly is THAT success? Take of the glasses, stop smoking whatever you are smoking and get with reality.

Prevention, in order to be successful, has to actually PREVENT new infections. It’s not happening. That in my book says no matter how you spin it means the programs are a failure. Period. End of story.

How about if the feds spent the same kind of money, energy and attention to the HIV epidemic that they did for the pig flu– oh sorry H1N1 Influenza. We mustn’t link it with swine, as that could hurt the swine industry.