Governor Mills Marks 34th Annual World AIDS Day

Joins Maine CDC to unveil five-year HIV prevention and care plan?

Governor Mills today joined the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) in observing the 34^th?annual World AIDS Day. Governor Mills issued a?proclamation?in?honor of all those lost to AIDS and?in recognition of individuals currently living with HIV. The proclamation was accompanied?by Maine CDC's unveiling of the State?s five-year?Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan?aimed at improving prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of the disease.??

?On World AIDS Day, we remember those lost to this illness and recognize those living with and affected by HIV in Maine and across the globe,? said Governor Mills. ?We celebrate the medical advances that have made it possible for people with HIV to live long, healthy lives and, guided by our HIV Prevention and Care Plan, we continue our work to end HIV and AIDS in Maine.??

?The Maine CDC developed this plan in partnership with Maine?s HIV/AIDS Advisory Board to create an ambitious yet attainable path for ending HIV in Maine,? said Maine CDC Director Nirav D. Shah. ?We look forward to working with Maine people living with HIV and the community partners who serve them in every corner of our state to reach the plan?s goals over the next five years.??

Key goals of the Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan include:??

• Improving early diagnosis of all people with HIV???
• Rapid treatment of HIV to achieve viral suppression to improve health outcomes and prevent further transmission??
• Preventing new HIV transmission through use of medications and harm reduction practices??
• Rapid response to potential HIV outbreaks to provide prevention and treatment services to those affected ?

Maine CDC recognizes the essential role of Maine?s HIV/AIDS Advisory Board, those living with or affected by HIV, community health workers, social support organizations, and local advocates in creating this plan. More information about the strategies Maine CDC is undertaking to address HIV are available here.?

This year?s World AIDS Day theme, ?Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV,? fosters discussion and action to achieve health equity within HIV care and prevention. Nationally, HIV disproportionately affects Black/African Americans, Hispanic Latinos, and gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.?

Currently, 38 million people are living with HIV across the world. Among them are approximately 1,600 Maine residents. In 2021, a total of 30 new cases of HIV were reported in Maine. In Maine, 33% of people newly diagnosed with HIV between 2017 and 2021 were diagnosed with AIDS at the time of their first HIV test, indicating that they were diagnosed years after being infected. People who are diagnosed late in their infection have poorer health outcomes and have missed opportunities for early treatment and prevention of transmission to others.?
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For free, confidential, HIV testing visit gettested.cdc.gov to find a testing location near you. Maine CDC?s HIV prevention program also provides funding for testing for under-and uninsured individuals at the following locations:??

• Frannie Peabody Center: (207) 774-6877?
• Portland Public Health STD Clinic: (207) 874-8446??
• Maine Family Planning: (207) 922-3222?
• Health Equity Alliance: (207) 230-4448?