First Annual Caribbean-American Health AIDS Awareness Day scheduled
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
by Susan Mann
Caribbean Net News St John Correspondent
Email: susan@caribbeannetnews.com
ST JOHN, USVI: On June 8, 2006 Caribbean-Americans, Caribbean immigrants and community organizations on the mainland, including the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, will hold a day long event to highlight the health disparities facing people of colour, especially Caribbean immigrants in the first observance of National Caribbean-American Health Aids Day (NCAHAAD).
The event, organized by the Caribbean People International Collective, Inc. (CPIC) is a national mobilization effort designed to encourage Caribbean-American and Caribbean- born individuals, across the United States and its territories, to "get educated, to get tested, to get treated and get involved."
The future of the Caribbean and Caribbean - American community, and the hope that preventive health care as a daily part of life will become the norm, and the Caribbean Diaspora will become free of AIDS is the long term goal and what is hoped to become an annual event.
Ryan Fredrick of the CPIC, stated in a press release that "African-Americans are often viewed as one group, when there are in fact a variety of populations to be be considered."
Current epidemiology methods of study do not reflect this reality. For instance; upper class, lower class, Christian, Muslim, inner city, suburban, descendants of slaves, and Caribbean immigrants are factors which may influence the extent of health care access.
Caribbean People International Collective founder, Dawn Stewart said, "The goal of this day is to ensure that every one visit a health care professional regardless of immigration status, risk group, or nationality."
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