To: The Louisiana State House, The Louisiana State Senate, and Governor John Bel Edwards
Louisiana Politicians: The AIDS Crisis is not over...
The State of Louisiana currently allocates ZERO state dollars towards HIV/AIDS prevention or services. With the privatization of our public hospitals, our state matching dollars have dwindled. As a result, the federal dollars for HIV prevention and services will be shrinking.
The latest news is that our state actually had SURPLUS revenue in the past year. Can't we spare a few dollars to help save lives today and tomorrow?
Louisiana is currently in the top 5 states in the US relative to HIV infection rates and AIDS diagnoses. NOT funding proven methods of HIV prevention have resulted in an alarming increase in new HIV infections.
The right thing to do - morally and economically - is to FUND HIV/AIDS PREVENTION & SERVICES in Louisiana.
As our wise elders have said to us many times:
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!"
Why is this important?
Far too many people have suffered and died in Louisiana from AIDS. We must take actions NOW in order to have the first AIDS-free generation.