One of the announcements that the Borinkén Community Health Center has distributed, aimed at the most affected communities.
Photo: Arcos Communications / Courtesy
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Under the motto “Health care with respect”, the Borikén Community Health Center (BNHC) has provided quality care to residents of El Barrio since 1974, a neighborhood that has a greater representation when it comes to indexes. poverty and new HIV diagnoses and deaths.
Statistics from an investigation compiled by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene revealed that in 2018 the rate of new HIV diagnoses in El Barrio was twice the rate in the rest of New York City. And black and Latino minorities continue to be the groups most affected by that epidemic.
And understanding that precisely those communities are the ones that can benefit the most from preventive care, the Borikén Community Health Center launched the “I matter, therefore I PrEParo” campaign, so that New Yorkers learn more about tests, prevention and HIV treatment options so they have all the tools to put their health first in a non-judgmental environment, regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, immigration status or ability to pay.
“Borikén’s ‘I Matter, Therefore…’ campaign supports the three goals of New York State’s campaign to end AIDS,” said Dr. Adam Aponte, Director of Medicine at the Borikén Community Health Center. “It is proposed to identify people with HIV who have not been diagnosed, through testing, retention of people with HIV in medical care, to help them suppress their viral load, and facilitate access to PrEP, in order to maintain seronegative to vulnerable people ”.
The doctor added that the tone, the message and the models of the campaign truly represent “our community and help to eliminate the stigma of HIV.”
“I Matter, So I PrEParo” encourages people to learn more about PrEP (preventive prophylaxis), a drug that can be taken to prevent HIV. The campaign targets Afro-descendant and Latino men, between the ages of 20 and 39, as well as Afro-descendant women, between the ages of 30 and 49.
In New York City, Latinas are 4.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV.
The campaign, which began on March 8, includes advertisements on buses, marketing material and distribution on social networks, among others.
In addition to PrEP, Borikén offers a variety of HIV / AIDS services, such as education and community outreach services, counseling, primary care, case management, screenings, support services and examinations and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and hepatitis C.
In 2020, Borikén had a total of 11,046 patients.
Comprehensive care
The Borikén Community Health Center, established in 1974 through the East Harlem Council for Human Services, provides comprehensive medical, dental, social and health education services to the community of the Barrio / East Harlem and surrounding areas.
For more information about PrEP and Borikén HIV / AIDS services, or to make an appointment, you can call (212) 289-6650 or visit www.boriken.org.
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