Saturday is the 30th annual World AIDS Day.
For Americans living with the virus, things are looking up, according to Doctor Laura Cheever with the Health Resources and Services Administration. She says the viral suppression of HIV/AIDS is reaching a record level for those in the Ryan White program. The program provides medical care, medication and support to people living with the disease.
Cheever attributes the increase to the program's targeting of specific communities.
Suppression makes the virus practically undetectable and prevents it from being transmitted. More than 23 thousand Ohioans have been diagnosed with HIV, but less than 50 percent have been virally suppressed to an undetectable level. Cheever says the goal now is to continue reaching out to vulnerable populations who may not know they're infected or may not have access to the care they need. Several organizations in Ohio are holding HIV testing and awareness events in connection with World AIDS day.
