LAURINBURG — There will be a candlelight vigil Tuesday in Laurinburg in honor of World AIDS Day.
The program will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Scotland Emergency Operations Center on West Boulevard.
It is sponsored by the the HIV Education and Resource Team (H.E.A.R.T) of Scotland County and Borderbelt AIDS Resources Team (BART) as an effort to to unite the community in the fight against the disease.
Activities are planned for the vigil, which include light refreshments, music, drama team presentations and a featured speaker.
World AIDS Day is held on Dec. 1 each year and is an opportunity for people to show support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was first held in 1988. Since the beginning of the epidemic, nearly 40 million people have died of AIDS – and now an equal number are living with HIV.
“World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away,” said Kathie Cox, health educator for the Scotland County Health Department. “There is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.”
As of Dec. 31, 2015, Scotland County ranked 8th in North Carolina for newly diagnosed HIV cases. According to the county Health department, there are 140 residents diagnosed with HIV living in Scotland County and 58 persons diagnosed and living with AIDS in Scotland County.
HIV/AIDS can be transmitted only by the sharing of bodily fluids, with the primary means of infection caused by sexual intercourse with an infected male or female partner.
In a World AIDS Day speech last year, President Barack Obama called for continued vigilance to stop the spread of the disease that still has no cure.
“On World AIDS Day, we remember those we have lost to HIV/AIDS, celebrate the triumphs earned through the efforts of scores of advocates and providers, pledge our support for those at risk for or living with HIV, and rededicate our talents and efforts to achieving our goal of an AIDS-free generation,” Obama said.
In order to make people aware of their own status, Scotland County Health Department offers free HIV testing. Scotland County Health Department also offers an Early Intervention Clinic for those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. For information, call 910-277-2440.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends people ages 13 to 64 get tested for HIV at least once.
“H.E.A.R.T.’s goal is to raise awareness of the impact HIV is having on our community and the fact that the number of people living with this disease is increasing significantly in this county, this state, this nation, and globally,” Cox said.
If you have any questions or concerns , call 910-277-2440 or email [email protected] and/or [email protected] .