Governor Cuomo Wants To End AIDS in NYS
June 29, 2014
ALBANY, NY – On Saturday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a three-point plan to “bend the curve” and decrease new HIV infections to the point where the number of people living with HIV in New York State is reduced for the first time. “The end of the AIDS epidemic in New York will occur when the total number of new HIV infections has fallen below the number of HIV-related deaths,” said Cuomo.
The “Bending the Curve” three-point program includes:
1. Identifying persons with HIV who remain undiagnosed and linking them to health care;
2. Linking and retaining persons diagnosed with HIV to health care and getting them on anti-HIV therapy to maximize HIV virus suppression so they remain healthy and prevent further transmission; and
3. Providing access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for high-risk persons to keep them HIV negative.
“Thirty years ago, New York was the epicenter of the AIDS crisis — today I am proud to announce that we are in a position to be the first state in the nation committed to ending this epidemic,” said Governor Cuomo. “New York State has reached an important milestone in controlling the AIDS epidemic, and through this comprehensive strategy, we are decreasing new HIV infections to the point where by 2020, the number of persons living with HIV in New York State will be reduced for the first time.”
Cuomo says that his campaign, “Bending the Curve”, will precipitate a dramatic downward trend in new HIV infections beyond the current trend.
