D.C. Aims to Publicize City's HIV-AIDS Epidemic

New reports of AIDS in the District were coming in at the rate of 128 per 100,000, in contrast to 14 cases per 100,000 nationally. One in 50 residents is thought to have the disease.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the District has the highest rate of AIDS among African Americans in the country: 277.5 for every 100,000 people. It also has the highest rate of new cases reported among Hispanics: 109.2 for every 100,000 people.

In the last three years, the Appleseed report said, the government has created a "top-flight" leadership team at the city's HIV/AIDS Administration and it has expanded testing programs in city jails. But it urged Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) to embark on a public awareness campaign, particularly in churches, to reduce the stigma associated with the disease.

"One of the things that I'd like to see is Fenty frankly speaking out more on this issue," said Walter Smith, Appleseed's executive director. "A very active mayor could influence the faith-based community, the African American communities, the Latino communities there. It's an issue that a lot people, even now, are afraid to talk about."

One reason HIV has remained pernicious in the District is that most new AIDS cases here are found in older people who may have been spreading the disease for years, according to the Appleseed report.

Although Appleseed praised some of the city's efforts to combat the disease, it is waiting for new statistics to determine whether the efforts have had any impact.

Improvements since the third report card, which was issued in December 2007, include several grade changes: routine HIV testing went from a B-plus to an A-minus, syringe exchange services also went from B-plus to A-minus, substance abuse treatment went from C-plus to B and AIDS education in D.C. public schools went from D to C.

A tangible change in one area was in the needle exchange program, which received $650,000 after Congress earlier this year ended a ban on the city using public money for such efforts. Needle exchanges often face opposition because of the connection to drug abuse.

PreventionWorks!, a group that targets people at risk of being infected, reported that they distributed nearly 180,000 new needles and administered 97 HIV tests last year.

Three counselors in the PreventionWorks! van made their regular 9:30 a.m. stop yesterday at Georgia Avenue and Morton Street NW. A couple of addicts were already in line, waiting for clean needles. About a dozen showed up during the two-hour stop.

Each person received about two dozen needles, alcohol swabs and latex strips. Each also received a meal, a piece of cake and some gentle questioning.

"When did you last get tested? You want to get a test?" asked Reggie Jackson, the team leader and a former addict.

Several spurned the offer, but one accepted and took the 20-minute mouth swab test.

Counselor Teefari Mallory went to work. She and the man waiting for his results talked about the things he could have done differently, what life might be like with the virus and how to turn things around. Mallory is HIV-positive, and she lost a daughter to AIDS two years ago. She told that story.

"This program gets them in to do tests, to get help, to get referrals," Jackson said.