Between Promise & Performance: Testing
Promise & Performance:
Leadership | Condom Distribution | HIV Testing | X-Pres
The Promise: Former Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration (HAA) Director Marsha Martin set the ambitious goal of having all DC residents tested for HIV between June 27th, 2006 and December 31st, 2006. This was based in part on the CDC's Revised Recommendations for HIV testing. Since that time HAA has failed to set any specific, measurable goals on HIV testing in the District.
The Performance: While HIV testing in the District did increase between June 27th, 2006 and December 31st, 2006, HAA did not come anywhere close to the ambitious goal of having everyone in DC know their HIV status. To make matters worse, many of the expensive HIV testing kits that were ordered had to be given away before their expiration or were simply thrown out.
Further, a number of experts are now challenging the revised CDC recommendations, the basis upon which this campaign is built, arguing that targetted HIV testing is much more effective than the CDC's 'mass testing' initiative.
I believe that in DC we need both a general testing campaign and smart, targetted HIV testing initiatives like the one conducted at DC Black Pride.
HAA's testing campaign failed to meet it's goal. Which means, quite frankly, that there are people out there in DC who won't find out their HIV status until it's too late. We will continue to have the highest HIV death rate until we can get our residents tested and into treatment sooner.
We desperately need leadership on this issue. HAA needs to set specific and measurable HIV testing goals and meet them.
Leadership | Condom Distribution | HIV Testing | X-Pres
HIV Testing & Counseling
HIV testing is crucial in the District of Columbia. You can't treat HIV if you don't know you have it. One of the reasons DC has the highest HIV death rate, is that many folks don't get tested for HIV until years after they have become positive. They show up at a clinic or an emergency room and their HIV has progressed beyond the point at which current medications can be most effective.The Promise: Former Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration (HAA) Director Marsha Martin set the ambitious goal of having all DC residents tested for HIV between June 27th, 2006 and December 31st, 2006. This was based in part on the CDC's Revised Recommendations for HIV testing. Since that time HAA has failed to set any specific, measurable goals on HIV testing in the District.
The Performance: While HIV testing in the District did increase between June 27th, 2006 and December 31st, 2006, HAA did not come anywhere close to the ambitious goal of having everyone in DC know their HIV status. To make matters worse, many of the expensive HIV testing kits that were ordered had to be given away before their expiration or were simply thrown out.
Further, a number of experts are now challenging the revised CDC recommendations, the basis upon which this campaign is built, arguing that targetted HIV testing is much more effective than the CDC's 'mass testing' initiative.
I believe that in DC we need both a general testing campaign and smart, targetted HIV testing initiatives like the one conducted at DC Black Pride.
HAA's testing campaign failed to meet it's goal. Which means, quite frankly, that there are people out there in DC who won't find out their HIV status until it's too late. We will continue to have the highest HIV death rate until we can get our residents tested and into treatment sooner.
We desperately need leadership on this issue. HAA needs to set specific and measurable HIV testing goals and meet them.
Labels: HAA, promise and performance, testing
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