The Department of Health’s HIV/STD/TB Program will host forums territory-wide beginning March 8, on STD and HIV/AIDS in observance of National Women and Girls HIV/DAIDS Day. The national observance, commemorated annually on March 10, is designed to raise awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls and encourages them to get tested.
The forums will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, at the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute on St. Thomas and on Friday, March 11, at the Cardiac Center’s Bennie and Martha Foundation Conference Center on St. Croix. This year’s theme is “Live, Laugh and Liberate Yourself.”
Health Commissioner Julia Sheen said that statistics show that more women have become infected with HIV since it was first reported in the early 1980s and that one in four Americans living with HIV are women today. “We encourage organizations and individual advocates for women and girls as well as persons living with HIV/AIDS, to come listen to the guest presentations on topics such as Prevention of STDs; Living with HIV/AIDS; Contracting STDs, the Importance of Having a Support System and The Need to Live Healthy,” Sheen said.
Because space is limited, participants are encouraged to register by calling 774-0127 on St. Thomas and 773-1311 ext. 13061 on St. Croix. healthvi.org
For data and more information on National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, visit womenshealth.gov/nwghaador womenshealth.gov/quickhealthdata.