Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Georgia State to host National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day event

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will hold an event to observe National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on March 10 at Georgia State University.

The event, sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Region IV and GSU's Department of Student Health Promotion, will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hall in Dahlberg Hall, 30 Courtland St.

Other co-sponsors include the Center for Black Women's Wellness, The Creative Conversations Group LLC, Girlfriends Health Guide and AID Atlanta.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in five people living with HIV infection in the United States do not know they are infected. In 2007, more than a quarter of diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States were among women and girls age 13 and older. The numbers are an indicator that it is time to increase awareness and prevention efforts.

According to the Office on Women's Health, National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a nationwide observance that encourages people to take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS and raise awareness of its impact on women and girls. Organizations across the country come together to offer support, encourage discussion, and teach women and girls about prevention of HIV, the importance of getting tested for HIV, and how to live with and manage HIV/AIDS.

During the event, Candice Wiggins of the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx will share her personal testimony in regards to HIV/AIDS while encouraging young women and girls to take a stand and get tested. The event will highlight a thought provoking HIV/AIDS awareness performance by the group "Substance Abuse Prevention Teen Theater (SAPTT)." In addition, the event will include a self esteem building workshop to inspire women and girls facilitated by AID Atlanta.

For more information on National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, please visit http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwghaad.

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