Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana has declared a public health emergency in response to an epidemic of HIV in Scott County, located in the southeastern region of the state.
A temporary needle exchange program, slated to last 30 days, has been established in an effort to reduce the spread of the virus among intravenous drug users. At the end of that period, the program will be re-evaluated by lawmakers in the state capital of Indianapolis. Pence has told the press that if the state Legislature were to send a bill establishing a permanent needle exchange program, he would veto the legislation.
"Scott County is facing an epidemic of HIV, but this is not a Scott County problem; this is an Indiana problem. The people of Scott County are working hard to address this crisis, and with additional state resources and new tools provided by this emergency declaration, I am confident that together we will stop this HIV outbreak in its tracks," Pence said.
Executive order 15-05 directs state agencies to develop a cross-agency response to the epidemic and provides funding and other resources to assist the state.
Scott County usually records an average of five cases of HIV linked to IV drug use each year. That number of HIV positive test results is now up to 81 known cases diagnosed since December 2014, and includes 74 confirmed and 7 preliminary cases, although all preliminary positive tests this far have been confirmed. Many of the new HIV cases are linked to the use of Opana, a prescription painkiller (oxymorphone hydrochloride) that is a semi-synthetic opioid.
"Disease intervention specialists are in the area, interviewing each newly identified HIV-positive individual to obtain information about needle sharing and sex partners, as well as recommending care coordination services, medical care and HIV prevention information," the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reported.
Health officials are concerned that other cases are likely to be recorded over the next few months, especially in underserved rural areas where resources are limited. Beth Meyerson, co-director of the Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention at Indiana University, said other rural areas also lack HIV testing resources and generally 20 percent of people who are HIV-positive do not know it. "You have to have a testing system to know... We have no idea and we have to be honest about that."
"You are not alone," a new educational program developed by the ISDH, is aimed at providing the public in the Hoosier State with information about HIV prevention and treatment, needle disposal and drug treatment resources. This program, scheduled to last three months, will run ads on billboards, on radio and online.
As Pence announced the temporary needle exchange program, several doctors were traveling to Indiana to testify in favor of a permanent statewide system for intravenous drug users.
"Keeping a needle exchange program only in Scott County is not going to solve the problem," Deepak Azad, an internist from Scottsburg, Ind., said.
Pence was recently the target of widespread ridicule on social media Web sites after signing a bill allowing businesses to refuse service to homosexual customers.
Photo: Steven Depolo | Flickr
