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Nov 30, 2008 3:09 pm US/Central
Ill. Set to Commemorate World AIDS Day
CHICAGO (STNG) ―
In honor of World AIDS Day, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich ordered the lights to be dimmed at the State Capitol Rotunda in Springfield and the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago on Monday, Dec. 1.
The 2008 World AIDS Day observance will be held from 6:45 p.m. until 7 p.m. in remembrance of Illinoisans who have died from AIDS, according to a Blagojevich release. This year's World AIDS Day theme is "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise."
Blagojevich has also directed the Illinois Department of Public Health to educate and raise awareness about HIV prevention, the release said. The agency will hold more than a dozen HIV/AIDS testing and awareness events across the state.
"On World AIDS Day, it is important to focus attention on the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic," Blagojevich said. "In Illinois, we are dedicated to educating the public and raising awareness about the disease, as well as providing the resources necessary to make sure people have access to testing and quality care."
More than 35,000 Illinoisans have been diagnosed with AIDS, with the number of new diagnoses decreasing steadily since 2005. As of October 2008, 17,262 people reported living with HIV and 17,302 with AIDS, the release said.
In 2007, 46 percent of all HIV reported cases in Illinois were African-American and 71 percent of those were men. Of the men reporting having HIV in 2007, 50 percent reported having had sex with men, the release said.
From 2003 to 2007, HIV diagnoses in 13 to 19 year olds increased 47 percent, the release said.
"It is so important that everyone know their status," said Dr. Damon T. Arnold, Illinois Department of Public Health Director. "I encourage everyone to go out and get tested for HIV/AIDS. What better time to get tested than on World AIDS Day."
(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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