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Events Held in Los Angeles to Raise AIDS Awareness

Posted on: Friday, 2 December 2005, 09:00 CST

Events held in Los Angeles to raise AIDS awareness

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Candlelight vigils and health awareness events marking the World AIDS Day were planned here Thursday to remember those who had died of the disease and support continued efforts to find a cure, organizers said.

The Black AIDS Institute, a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles dedicated to reducing HIV/AIDS health disparities, kicked off a four-day conference at a local Hotel aimed at raising AIDS awareness among black women.

AIDS was the leading cause of death for black women between the ages of 25 and 34 in 2002, according to a report by the Institute.

Researchers found that black women accounted for 68 percent of newly diagnosed HIV infections in 2004.

At a news conference earlier in the day, Dr. Celia Maxwell, who has treated AIDS patients for 20 years, said African-American women are putting themselves at risk by not learning more about the disease.

"I see each week at least one woman that is newly infected that says she hasn't a clue how it happened," Maxwell said.

A candlelight vigil was expected to be held in West Hollywood Thursday evening in remembrance of AIDS victims, and awards would be presented on the occasion to honor people who work with AIDS/ HIV patients, according to organizers.

A local TV channel, Citychannel 6, began at midnight airing " AIDSWATCH," a 24-hour electronic memorial broadcasting the names, one at a time, of people who have died of AIDS.

There are 151,000 Californians living with HIV, according to a report by the Universitywide AIDS Research Program at the University of California.

That is a significant increase from the estimated 108,000 Californians infected with the disease in 1998.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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