New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on May 15 new legislations to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the state.
The new rules would amplify previous efforts of making New York the leader in providing quality treatment and care to HIV/AIDS patients in the land.
"New York State is leading by example in the fight against AIDS and the initiatives in this legislation are key to building on the progress we have already made," says Cuomo.
He adds that by enhancing availability of testings and destroying whatever it is that is impeding people from receiving treatments, the state has practiced a holistic strategy to end the epidemic. New York will not back down until this disease completely goes down the drain.
The New Legislations
Among the new legislations that Gov. Cuomo proposed include boosting the number of people who will be connected to and remain in care by enabling information sharing with care coordinators, managers and systems.
Another proposal is to implement more widespread HIV testing and to stretch the age limit of testing for HIV beyond the current standard, which is 64 years old. Minors are also included in the new rules, as the state plans to ring a clear message that young people may obtain HIV treatment and preventive care even without parental consent and that they can avail of these services with confidentiality.
Lastly, the new legislation includes expanding STD testings and access to preventive care services.
New York Officials Unite
State Commissioner for Health Dr. Howard Zucker says they have made steps to address the epidemic and eventually end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York. He also thanked Governor Cuomo for the resources as more and more people are now receiving testing and treatment services.
Charles King, president and CEO of Ending the Epidemic Task Force and Housing Works, Inc., says the company is happy to see the governor make steps to end HIV/AIDs by the year 2020.
Building On The Strong Start
The new rules are just some of the latest efforts of Governor Cuomo to achieve the ultimate goal of reducing HIV/AIDS cases from 3,000 to 750 per year. The strong start to this initiative has already yielded good results as evidenced by the absence of mother-to-child HIV transmissions for over 17 months.
Every year, New York allots $2.5 billion to battle AIDS. Now, more than $20 million in added funds have been added to support numerous programs. So far, over 6,000 HIV patients have been identified and will now be provided with care using the said funds.
