Health : September 27 is National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Photo Credits: CDC.gov

Today marks the National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD).

According to HIV.gov, we observe this day each year to raise awareness on the impact of HIV on the gay and bisexual men and their “important and longstanding role in addressing the HIV epidemic in our nation.”

HIV.gov underscored the importance of knowing one’s status and they provided links to a tool called HIV Testing Sites & Care Services Locator. With just a click away, we can now “search for testing services, housing providers, health centers and other service providers” near us. What’s more is that this app is also available both in iTunes store and Google Play.

More importantly, HIV.gov is encouraging everyone to broaden their knowledge on HIV by viewing these personal stories posted over at the Positive Spin videos and microsite. The site features up-close and personal accounts of five HIV-positive, gay Black men and their journey from “diagnosis to treatment and, ultimately, to viral suppression.”

To view more videos, readers may also head over to CDC’s Doing It campaign page from their Act Against AIDS initiative.

HIV.gov is also urging everyone to speak out and share their stories on social media by using the hashtags #mypositivespin and #NGMHAAD. Tweet and mention at least one of the following agencies in your stories:

on Twitter:

@HIVgov
@CDC_HIV/AIDS
@DrMerminCDC
@talkHIV
@HRSAgov

Facebook:

HIV.gov
CDC HIV
HRSAgov

Of course, don’t forget to mention A4A as well on twitter @adam4adam and on Facebook @Adam4Adam.

Social media today is crucial when it comes to information dissemination and its role in communicating information on HIV treatment and prevention efforts is considered vital and underused.

Statistics has it that there are over 600,000 gay and bisexual men living with HIV in the US and a whopping 17% don’t know they have it, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.

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