World AIDS Day is a time to honor those who have died, celebrate those who are alive, and recommit to the work ahead.

November 22, 2024

The County Commission declared on December 1, 2024: World AIDS Day in Multnomah County At the Nov. 21 board meeting. Started in 1988, World AIDS Day is an opportunity for individuals and communities to honor the more than 42 million people around the world who have died from AIDS-related illnesses and the 39 million people who live with the disease. This year's theme is “Collective Action: Sustaining and Accelerating Progress on HIV.”

“World AIDS Day is a day of reflection, solidarity and renewed commitment to ending the HIV epidemic,” said Dr. Christopher Evans, an infectious disease physician at Oregon Health & Science University. “It is very important not only to honor those who have died, but also to celebrate those who are alive and recommit to the work that lies ahead.”

In 1994, just two weeks after testing positive for HIV, Scott Moore was diagnosed with AIDS, beginning a long and complicated journey through the physical and mental health challenges that came with the diagnosis. Currently, Moore brings a personal and professional understanding of the continuing impact of HIV/AIDS in our communities through her work as co-chair and community policy director of the HIV Service Planning Council. Masu. Quest Integrative Health Center.

“I tell this story not to solicit pity, but to emphasize that despite amazing advances in treatment, living with HIV remains a very difficult experience. Because of that,” Moore said.

“Yet, I stand here as a testament to my resilience. I have been in recovery for eight years. I continue to grow. Thanks to the tireless work of organizations like the Planning Council, I continue.”

This annual commemoration marks 44 years since the first HIV case was reported in the United States and when then-Multnomah County Chair Beverly Stein founded the first Ryan White HIV Planning Council in Portland (now Port It marks the 30th anniversary of the call for a nomination committee to create the Rand. Regional HIV Service Planning Council).

The Planning Council is a 30-member community-led group comprised of “both people living with HIV and service providers” who believe that key funding decisions to advance HIV services in the six-county region are truly the most We work with you to make sure you are targeted for the right service. Nick Tipton, co-chair of the HIV Planning Council with Moore and senior regional manager for the county health department, explained.

More than 40% of City Council members are HIV positive.

“Our diverse group is committed to ensuring that community voices are front and center in decision-making about local HIV services,” Moore said.

Multnomah County and the Planning Council have partnered for collective action and progress since the group's creation 30 years ago, serving Multnomah, Clackamas, Columbia, Washington, Yamhill and Clark counties. in multnomah county HIV Health Service Center The company, located in downtown Portland, serves approximately 1,600 customers from all over Oregon each year.

Both nationally and in Oregon, the number of new HIV infections has been declining since 2018. By 2022, approximately 90% of people living with HIV in Oregon will be on treatment, and more than three in four patients will have their viral infection suppressed. Regional data shows even higher rates of viral suppression among people in the Portland metropolitan area.

“There's progress to be celebrated at every level,” Moore said.

Health officials attribute the decline to a combination of condom distribution, HIV testing and treatment, and prevention of infection with drugs called HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxisor PrEP.

“People living with HIV can now thrive with the right treatment and support, turning what was once a terminal disease into a manageable condition,” Dr. Evans said.

person who has low viral load You may not be at higher risk for other diseases than the general population. Additionally, people with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy are able to maintain undetectable viral loads, which allows them to have healthy intimate relationships.

“We have come so far in this fight to end infectious disease,” Tipton said. “Now is not the time to let go of the gas pedal. Rather, we must redouble our efforts to both develop vaccines and treatments, while promoting the health of all people living with HIV.”

Due to systemic inequalities in access to health care, preventive services, and social supports, people of color, young people, and trans women face disproportionately high rates of new HIV and AIDS infections. Mr Moore said:

• of Latest national data (2018-2022) Black/African Americans make up 12% of the U.S. population, but account for 37% of all new HIV infections.
• Hispanics/Latinos make up 18% of the U.S. population but account for 33% of all new HIV infections.
• Approximately 40% of all new infections were in people aged 25 to 34.
• In 2022, approximately 43% of new infections in Oregon were Black, Indigenous, and other people of color.
• In Portland's six-county service area, trans women make up 2% of existing cases but 9% of new cases in 2023.

Multnomah County's program aims to reduce these disparities through programs such as culturally specific case management, meal delivery, housing guidance, medical case management, and peer support.

“Collective action requires centering the experiences and aspirations of Black, Indigenous, people of color, and transgender people, and ensuring that our interventions can move equitably all to a post-pandemic future.” It’s required,” Tipton said.

Board comments

“I would like to thank everyone for raising this important issue,” the Secretary said. Lori Stegman. “We are grateful for the strategy to eliminate HIV in Oregon, and we look forward to continuing to invest and serve our most marginalized residents.What are the challenges in our communities? I hope that the more we can understand and learn and know about it, the better we can respond.”

commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards He lived and worked in Washington, D.C., during the 1980s during the AIDS epidemic. She said she saw firsthand the reluctance to acknowledge the new crisis as thousands died.

“The impact of knowledge, scientific research, action, and demands on action, and leaning into our greatest challenges rather than avoiding or ignoring them, will have a real impact on the lives of everyday people.” “I will give you that,” she said.

“As a medical student, resident, and attending physician, I have cared for countless people with HIV,” the Secretary said. Sharon Maylan. “I'm fascinated by the evolution of our understanding of this disease, how medical professionals treat people with it, and the magic that transforms what is essentially a death sentence into a manageable chronic disease. I've seen a lot of changes.”

“So many people fought and died so I can be here today and have access to medicine for people like me,” the Secretary said. jesse beasonpresided over the board of directors as chairman jessica vega pedersonAbsence. “Science is incredible, but what I find even more incredible is organization.

“Thank you to everyone who continues to fight against a disease that doesn’t know who you are, a disease that is no one’s fault and can still be transmitted. We still have a way to go, and my I'm so excited about the opportunity to help people like you, Black people around the world, beat this disease.”

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