In 1988, World AIDS Day became the first international global health day, recognized annually on December 1.  On this day global efforts to prevent new HIV infections, increase HIV awareness and knowledge are promoted. This year’s World AIDS Day theme is “Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV”. The Center for Health Empowerment (CHE) supports these goals through it’s actions and partnerships that within the 3 pillars of HIV eradication, Testing, Prevention, and Treatment.  

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Testing: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2019, less than 40% of Americans had been tested for HIV (CDC) and an estimated13% of HIV positive person don’t know that they have it. Early detection leads to rapid treatment which results in improved health outcomes.  We offer free to low cost testing at nontraditional hours and promote this through our outreach programs, quickly turning positive test results into treatment. 

  

Prevention: Effective HIV prevention methods are available, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). By 2025, the goal is to increase PrEP use to 50%.  We offer both PrEP and PEP and with most patients starting therapy following their first visit. 

  

Treatment: Proper medication management helps people living with HIV live long and healthy lives. The sooner a person starts treatment and reaches viral suppression (Undetectable = Untransmittable) the better their health outcomes. By the end of 2019, only 56.8% of all people with HIV in the U.S. were virally suppressed or undetectable (CDC). Achieving and maintaining undetectable status is the key to staying healthy and preventing disease progression and transmission.  At CHE we pride ourselves on our patient centered care and the short average duration between diagnosis and treatment initiation.