On June 27, Hispanic Federation, Latino Commission on AIDS and the NYS AIDS Institute gathered together to observe National HIV Testing Day and the launch the 8th annual Latino HIV Testing Month in New York State (LHTM). At a time when many people speak of the “end of AIDS,” Hispanic Federation and its partners work to maintain a sense urgency around this epidemic.  Even though we have seen great success through advances in treatment options for people living with HIV/AIDS, new infection rates have remained fairly constant, an indication that more must be done to educate and prevent the spread of the virus.  Every 9.5 minutes, someone is infected with HIV. Of those infected, 20% live unaware of their status and run a greater risk of infecting others. For people of color, the need for prevention has never been more apparent.  According to the most recent CDC data, the rate of new HIV infections among Hispanic/Latino men was two and half times that of White men.  Latinas face infection rates four and half times that of White women.  

In response to the HIV/AIDS crisis in our community, HF and partners have pioneered initiatives like Latino HIV Testing Month in an effort to generate a dialog among Latino families and create greater access to HIV education and testing services.

Hispanic Federation supports LHTM by providing grants to LUCES Coalition members to foster HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C testing initiatives as well as STI screening through the whole month of July.  For more information about HIV/AIDS or to find out where you can get tested, visit www.latinohivtesting.org or call the Hispanic Federation hotline at 1 866 HF AYUDA.

HF President, Jose Calderon, urges all Latinos to get tested.