Effort underway to educate Bronx residents about HIV/AIDS
It's World AIDS Day, and many are working to educate BX residents about the disease.
According to NYC Health Department officials, statistics show that there were almost 1,000 new cases of HIV in 2002 in the Bronx. And in that same year there were more than 460 AIDS related deaths in the borough. Officials say although the number of AIDS related deaths has dropped dramatically in NYC over the last decade, they say the disease remains a serious health threat.
While officials try to get information out to the public about the disease, others across the Bronx are taking part in programs designed to increase awareness of the global AIDS problem. Some Bronx teens are participating in Hip Hop Africa. They made a quilt showing which areas around the world are most severely affected by AIDS.
Activists say the key to AIDS prevention is making sure young people understand how the disease is transmitted.