City to recognize World AIDS day with speeches, free HIV testing

In an effort to recognize those affected by AIDS in Indiana and around the world, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan, city officials and community members will meet at 11 a.m. today at Bloomington City Hall in the Shower’s Building to commemorate World AIDS Day.  

The event will include remarks from the mayor, local residents living with AIDS, health professionals and more.

AIDS, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, affects more Americans then ever before. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an estimated 1.2 million people are living with HIV in America, with as many as one in five unaware they have HIV.

At the end of 2009, a total of 9,646 Hoosiers were living with HIV/AIDS, with those afflicted primarily male.

“AIDS is an international pandemic,” said Steve Arnold, leader of the Bloomington chapter of the advocacy organization RESULTS. “It’s killed 40 million people in the last 30 years or so, and it has afflicted new people every year. The place it is most prevalent (is) in eastern and southern Africa. But there are people that live with it here in Indiana.”

Arnold, a Bloomington citizen for 48 years, said RESULTS has lobbied for Congress to spend more on global support to end HIV/AIDS. This is the first year, he said RESULTS has taken part in the Bloomington World AIDS Day event.

“We’re trying to advocate with Congress, even though we have a slow economy, our government ought to be promoting global help for AIDS,” Arnold said. “That’s the very exciting news lately that if you are put on antiretroviral drugs early, then you are 96 percent less likely to spread the disease. If Congress will support more foreign aid, and other countries follow suit, then we can greatly expand AIDS treatment.”

Arnold also stressed that locally, students and Bloomington citizens can help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in Indiana by avoiding the activities that transmit the illness — primarily, unprotected sex.

Joining Arnold at the Bloomington World AIDS Day will be Walter Miya, president and co-founder of Kilimanjaro Education Outreach, a Tanzania-based organization focused on community education and HIV prevention classes in rural Tanzania. Since 2009, the east-African nation has reported having 1.4 million HIV/AIDS victims.

Along with Miya, School of Public and Environmental Affairs Senior Lecturer Henry Makhungu will also make a statement. Makhungu has been involved with the longtime IU program in Kenya, where students from IU have visited and studied at Moi University and helped collaborate on education and health projects.

Also in recognition of World AIDS Day, Planned Parenthood of Indiana will offer free HIV tests at 19 locations, starting today through Dec. 8.

Locations include Bloomington, at 421 S. College Ave., as well as Avon, Columbus, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis-Castleton, Indianapolis-Eastside, Indianapolis-Midtown, Indianapolis-Southside, Hammond, Lafayette, Madison, Merrillville, Mishawaka, Muncie, Richmond, Terre Haute, Valparaiso and Warsaw.

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World AIDS Day Event
WHEN 11 a.m. today
WHERE Bloomington City Hall Atrium
MORE INFO Mayor Mark Kruzan, community members and city officials will speak about the effect of AIDS globally and locally. This event is free and open to the public.

Free HIV Tests
WHEN Today to Dec. 8
WHERE Bloomington and other select Planned Parenthood of Indiana locations
MORE INFO Planned Parenthood of Indiana is recognizing World AIDS Day by offering free HIV tests at 19 of its health centers, including at its Bloomington location at 421 S. College Ave.