dr. kevin fenton - leading the fight against aids
Director, CDC National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention
The CDC estimates that there are more than one million Americans currently living with HIV. Of that one million, African Americans account for 47 percent of all AIDS cases in the United States. The alarming data led to Dr. Kevin Fenton being charged with the task of curtailing those figures via his role as the national director for HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs and TB prevention for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a sense, he is like a drug czar for HIV/AIDS throughout the nation. But why is the African American community becoming increasingly devastated? Dr. Fenton answers, that “HIV is increasingly concentrated in areas of poverty and the lack of conversation in our community is breeding ignorance; silence is truly death.”
In light of the daunting statistics, Dr. Fenton has formulated a multipronged plan to help lower HIV/AIDS contraction rates. “The CDC is working with community partners and faith-based organizations to open up [a] dialogue about the subject of HIV/AIDS,” he states. “We also are investing in new treatment methods, but we need everyone’s help in controlling the disease.”
Dr. Fenton points out that there are three things that we can all do to assist in the fight. “First is getting tested and encouraging others to get tested as well. The next thing is [having] conversations with friends and loved ones. Lastly, you should make sure sex is as safe as possible. Although men who have sex with other men and women are the most at risk, AIDS does not discriminate on sexual preference, or at all, for that matter. AIDS can kill. It’s up to us to stop it from doing so,” he says. –delgie jones II
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