The Greater Baltimore HIV Health Services Planning Council (GBHHSPC) hosted a community discussion on HIV at their annual meeting on Tuesday, December 15 at Chase Brexton Health Services. The theme of the meeting was a Baltimore response to the White House’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy. A standing room only audience heard two speakers from the City and State health departments, as well as several 2016 Baltimore Mayoral Candidates, who each spoke to that theme.
Dr. Leanna Wen, Baltimore City Commissioner of Health, opened the evening and shared some of the relevant statistics about the HIV epidemic in Baltimore. Those statistics estimate about 6,000 people in Baltimore are living with an AIDS diagnosis, another 13,000 have been identified as having HIV, and approximately 2,600 people are infected but do not know it. She made clear however, that from her perspective “we are not defined by the numbers of our past, but by the potential of our future.”
Mr. Jeffrey Hitt, Director of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau of the Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene followed Dr. Wen, and spoke about the National HIV Strategy. “It aims to create a comprehensive, coordinated response”, he said, “to ensure that HIV will become rare, and when it does occur, that people will have unfettered access to care”.
Opening the statements by 2016 Baltimore City Mayoral Candidates, Unaffiliated Mayoral Candidate Conor Meek stated he was there to connect with the community, and emphasized the need for “less campaigning and more action”. Baltimore City Council Member and Mayoral Candidate Nick Mosby emphasized the need to fight the stigma associated with HIV, and stated that “We need to collectively come together to change the trajectory of HIV in Baltimore.”
Recent Harvard graduate and Mayoral Candidate Calvin Allen Young, III said he wants to “be an ally and advocate to provide support and resources”, not tell the community how they need to do things. Mayoral Candidate Catherine Pugh, Majority Leader of the Maryland State Senate said that we are our brother’s keeper. “Leadership matters; Experience matters; Connecting the dots matters” she said.
Former Baltimore City Mayor and Mayoral Candidate Sheila Dixon stated that “we have taken steps back”, referencing her administration, “and need to move to the next level”. “We need to stop putting politics before public service” she said.
Lynda Dee, longtime HIV/AIDS community advocate and co-founder of AIDS Action Baltimore, posed a question and a challenge to the candidates, asking what they would do to go beyond rhetoric to address the crisis in Baltimore, as we need a Mayor who will be consistently visible and publicly active on the issue. Candidate Dixon suggested that in her opinion the most effective approach would be to knock on doors, one by one, just as aspiring politicians do when they are campaigning. Candidate Meek was quick to point out that it is important that we hold whomever wins accountable for their campaign promises, and he pointed out that as the entire event was captured on video, it should help facilitate that process in the future.
"PLWHA’s face many challenges when it comes to care”, said Carlton Smith, Planning Council Vice Chair, when asked about the goals of the event. “In January the PLWHA committee of the GBHHSPC will hold serious discussions about stigmatization, financial barriers, access to health care, health literacy,
transportation and employment. We must tailor a message from our voices on how to best eradicate HIV in the Baltimore metropolitan area."
The evening ended with thanks and commendations to staff and retiring members of the Planning Council. Numerous commendations to members and organizations from the community, thanking them for their years of service to People Living With HIV/AIDS in the Baltimore region were presented by the event hosts and Planning Council Chair Dale Brewer, Vice Chair Carlton Smith, and Nominating Committee Chair Jason Simmons.
To learn more about the Greater Baltimore HIV Health Services Planning Council, to attend Planning Council and committee meetings, or to apply to join the Planning Council or its PLWHA Committee, visit www.baltimorepc.org or call (410) 662-7253, ext. 120.
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