Kentucky has just issued another $10.35 million in contracts for HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and legal aid (yes, legal aid) this month.
Each year, the state awards tens of millions of dollars in treatment and prevention contracts, funded by a mix of federal and state sources.
According to the CHFS surveillance report, 8,368 people are currently living with a diagnosed HIV/AIDS infection in Kentucky.
That means just THIS monthās contracts amount to roughly $1,236 per diagnosed person.
Why is a disease transmitted primarily through shared needles and unprotected sex treated so differently by the government compared to every other illness? I understand that a small number of people contract it through occupational exposure, but according to the CHFS surveillance report, less than 2% of infections come from sources other than sex or drug use.
It is one of the most preventable diseases, yet we single it out for millions of dollars in dedicated treatment funding.