April 4th 2024.
FOX5Atlanta recently reported on the troubling findings from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the prevalence of HIV infections in the Southeast. The data, which was released in 2021, highlighted Metro Atlanta as a major cause for concern. In fact, Metro Atlanta ranked third, behind only Memphis and Miami, for the highest number of new HIV cases reported this year. Shockingly, over 1,500 cases were documented in the area.
Jeff Cheek, the director of HIV Elimination for Fulton County, spoke out about the severity of the situation. He emphasized, "We've seen that HIV is growing in the south, and Atlanta has some of the highest numbers in the south." This means that not only is the overall number of cases alarming, but they are also disproportionately high in this particular region. In Georgia alone, new cases accounted for more than half of the 2,371 reported instances in 2021. Cheek pointed to stigmas surrounding HIV and barriers to accessing adequate healthcare as key contributors to these alarming statistics.
Larry Scott-Walker, co-founder of Thrive Atlanta, expressed a mix of dismay and determination upon hearing the CDC's findings. He stated, "I am jarred by it, I am saddened by it, but also motivated... my work is fueled by that." Scott-Walker, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2007, co-founded Thrive Atlanta with the mission of addressing the needs of HIV patients, particularly in regions like Georgia where access to resources is limited. He explained, "We wanted to do something that centered Black culture, that centered Black queer men... raising our rates of undetectability in our communities... having stigma-reducing conversations with our friends."
In December 2023, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on revelations from a Center for Immigration Studies interview with Richard Lee, a retired DHS adjudicator. Lee shed light on a concerning federal privacy policy upheld by Department of Homeland Security officers. According to Lee, this policy may have endangered the health of many African American women and children due to marriages to African men who concealed their HIV-positive status. Lee stated, "DHS had ruled that privacy was regarded as more important than the health of the woman involved, usually a Black U.S. citizen, any babies born to that couple, and by extension, the public health of Americans generally."
From 2003 to 2008, immigrants seeking entry to the U.S. were required to provide proof of a negative HIV test, with positive results potentially barring entry. However, Lee noted that many applicants successfully waived their HIV status. He revealed that DHS officers were prohibited from disclosing the husband's health condition to the wife, despite knowing about it. This disturbing practice highlights the need for better policies and protocols to protect the health and well-being of all individuals, regardless of their immigration status.
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