Total Care RX will be partnering with ______ on December 1, 2019 as part of the annual World AIDS Day, an endeavor dedicated to increasing HIV awareness and knowledge, and for speaking out against HIV stigma. Ultimately the goal here is to encourage a call for an increased response to move toward ending the HIV epidemic.
Every year, hundreds of World AIDS Day events take place across the country to raise awareness and show support for people living with HIV. As a pharmacy that specializes in the care of those living with HIV, the day brings particularly significant meaning.
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And for a pharmacy located in a close knit Queens, New York community, the 2019 World AIDS Day theme "Communities make the difference" also hits home for Total Care RX.
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HIV By The Numbers
Since the first cases of HIV were reported more than 35 years ago, 78 million people have become infected with the disease and 35 million have died from AIDS-related illnesses. Globally there are an estimated 34 million people living with HIV today. For a virus that wasn’t identified until 1984, those numbers are staggering.
Though HIV is not making the headlines it was in the mid-80s, the virus has most certainly not gone away. There is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education, as Worlds AIDS Day was created to do some 31 years ago.
The World Health Organization (WHO), a specialized agency of the United Nations that focuses on international health, launched World AIDS Day back in 1988 and as the event organizers prepare for its 31st year, the hope for bringing the AIDS epidemic to an end is still running strong.
“Today, people living with HIV can live much longer, healthier lives. In fact, life expectancy of people living with HIV in high-income countries is very close to that of people without HIV. Early diagnosis and one-pill-a-day treatment can suppress the virus and allow the body’s immune function to recover,” said Dr. Young-Soo Shin, Regional Director, WHO Western Pacific Region. “Looking forward, we must reaffirm our commitment to ensuring universal access to HIV-related services, including prevention, testing and treatment, sexual and reproductive health, and harm reduction.Thirty years from now, World AIDS Day should be a day to commemorate a historic achievement: ending AIDS for good.”
Fighting The Good Fight
As part of this continuing fight against HIV, Total Care’s dedicated team of pharmacists and patient care coordinators will work closely with their HIV patients and their healthcare providers to monitor compliance with drug regimens and adjust therapies based on factors such as patient lifestyle and efficacy. Just as this year's World AIDS Day theme suggests, the Total Care RX community will be working hard to make a difference.
