New CDC HIV Prevention Plan to Reach Black America Misses Mark

Black Women’s HIV/AIDS Network & AIDS Alliance Demand National Plan to Reach Black Women

Statement of the National Black Women’s HIV/AIDS Network & AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families. Contact: A. Toni Young (Network - 202-465-1590) or Diana Bruce (AIDS Alliance - 202-492-7804) .

March 8, 2007, Washington, D.C. — Commenting that the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) “has tragically missed the mark in today’s announcement of a new HIV prevention initiative to reach black America,” A. Toni Young of the national Black Women’s HIV/AIDS Network called upon CDC to develop a new plan.

“We demand that CDC develop a real plan to reach black women with new HIV prevention messages to stop the out of control epidemic among black women,” said Ivy Turnbull, president of AIDS Alliance. “We call upon CDC and the Bush Administration to develop a new HIV prevention plan in consultation with members of the National Black Women’s HIV/AIDS Network, who are among the nation’s leading experts in HIV prevention for black women,” said both A. Toni Young and Ivy Turnbull.

CDC today released a new plan titled “Heightened National Response to the Crisis of HIV/AIDS Among African-Americans. ” The plan follows the release of new data that shows that HIV infections are raging across black America. HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in black women ages 25-34. Click here for more information on the plan.

Additional Statement by A. Toni Young, Black Women’s HIV/AIDS Network:

We are pleased to see CDC focusing attention on HIV and the black community. Unfortunately this is just a first step, since the plan does not chart an effective new course toward preventing HIV in black women. As CDC states, the plan was developed as a result of consultations conducted in the past year. However, none of the 10 recommendations developed by the Black Women’s HIV/AIDS Network and provided to CDC were included in the plan released today, and CDC did not hold a consultation specifically with black women prior to releasing today’s plan.

CDC states it will convene a consultation with black women in April, in effect disregarding the input of black women. CDC must make development of a HIV/AIDS prevention plan that addresses the needs of black women in America a priority. No disease can be eradicated with rhetoric, only with education and action. We urge CDC to implement the recommendations submitted by the Network and to work in true collaboration with women living with HIV/AIDS and their advocates to develop a sound plan with sufficient resources to successfully combat HIV infection among black women.

The Black Womens HIV/AIDS Network is a coalition of the nation’s leading black women who are authorities in the field of HIV prevention, including women living with HIV/AIDS and grassroots advocates.

Additional Statement by Ivy Turnbull, President, AIDS Alliance for Children,
Youth & Families

Rates of new HIV infections in black women in America are stunningly high, and in some communities match infection rates in the developing world. The plan released by CDC today to heighten HIV prevention among black America misses the mark and is largely a HIV testing initiative with no new resources attached to it. And, most shocking, after acknowledging the out-of-control rates of new HIV infection among black women, there is very little focus on their specific needs.

HIV prevention does not start with HIV testing — it starts with the implementation of sound HIV prevention messages and programs tailored to the needs of black women in local communities. AIDS Alliance calls upon CDC and the Bush Administration to develop a real plan that includes input from real women — not a plan that mentions women as an afterthought.

For too long, the needs of black women in HIV prevention have been ignored. As leading black women working to make a difference in our communities through the work of the Black Women’s HIV Network and AIDS Alliance, we will no longer be silent.

Through AIDS Alliance’s own Black Women’s AIDS Initiative, we will be conducting local forums with black women across the country to develop HIV prevention recommendations to guide our advocacy efforts. AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families is a national training, education and advocacy organization. Our mission is to promote consumer/provider partnerships — we are the voice of women, children, youth and families living with HIV/AIDS and 650 community-based organizations that serve them.

Tambra Stevenson serves on the Federal Advisory panel for Women’s Health and HIV/AIDS.