CNN iReport

AIDS NOW!

As we continue our fight against HIV/AIDS and after twenty five years of prevention we have not been able to reduce the number of individuals becoming infected. There of course exist many reasons why this happened, primarily lack of funding to reach all those at risk. I do though definitely believe that we made a mistake by not engaging the providers at the beginning and thinking outside the box, we were fighting for prevention monies and our rights and we overlooked providers. We now are unable to retain people in treatment and care plus other gaps exist, for example the provider and the consumer are unable to create a comfort zone and the consumer quickly stops his/her visit to this doctor. We all think this is part of the past but the stigma still exists greatly and providers are human and without the correct training will fail to keep their patients in treatment and care. Pharmaceuticals at this time are thriving from business creating and distributing medications to treat people with HIV/AIDS but are failing to educate these doctors who are prescribing their product. We need to make these pharmaceuticals more accountable. A doctor meeting with a pharmaceutical representative to discuss the product is not receiving care and treatment education. Drug reps are paid to push a product, and that’s all-not equipping the doctors with knowledge. Pharmaceutical grants have been drastically cut which have funded national conferences to educate providers on clinical management strategies / adherence and resistance. Physicians and providers also need a whole lot more information regarding key patient populations, such as Transgender patients.

To my knowledge, The National Conference on African-Americans and AIDS and National Conference on Latinos and AIDS are the only conferences which discuss primary care challenges in transgender health. As a transgender myself I had to educate all my doctors on my treatment and care and the medication cocktails we transgenders need. I at the moment am independent and not pushing for one organization, I am advocating as a consumer and activist. The fact is, there are only two conferences which meet the needs of which I’m concerned. I have been part of these conferences in the past and I am always impressed by the agenda topics and speakers. Now let’s also look at the other side, government funding is also unavailable to this event, it makes me wonder if we are all on the same page. We know that prevention is important but what good does prevention do if we are not educating providers on how to take care of our people!! Consumers need to mobilize and get ready to make a change!

Raquel Sapien is a transgender woman who has been living with HIV for the past 18yrs. She has been an activist since 1995 struggling to make change in HIV/AIDS funding, treatment and care. She has gone from being a homeless addict to being a public speaker. Her areas of expertise are Latinos, HIV transgender health, Incarcerated HIV+ individuals, mental health and substance abuse.