WHEREAS,
June 2005 will be the 11th annual AIDS Education Month in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS,
AIDS Education Month 2005 will culminate in the Philadelphia Freedom Concert on July 4th featuring Sir Elton John; and
WHEREAS,
The Philadelphia Freedom Concert will be an unprecedented opportunity to bring information about HIV/AIDS to the citizens of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS,
There are over 44 million people living with HIV worldwide; and
WHEREAS,
There are nearly 1 million people living with HIV in the United States; and
WHEREAS,
There are over 20,000 people living with HIV in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS,
Improvements in medical treatment have meant that people are living with HIV, rather than dying from HIV; and
WHEREAS,
These improvements in medical treatment mean that people living with HIV have need of medical care and services; and
WHEREAS,
Many people living with HIV in Philadelphia lack access to adequate medical care and social services; and
WHEREAS,
Many people living with HIV in Philadelphia lack access to adequate housing; and
WHEREAS,
7% of those tested in the Philadelphia Prison System test positive for HIV; and
WHEREAS,
Social issues such as substance abuse, mental illness, homelessness, and stigma affecting men who have sex with men further complicate the lives of people living with HIV; and
WHEREAS,
The City lacks resources to provide compassionate care to all those living with HIV who need it; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,
That the City Council Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless and the Committee on Health & Human Services is authorized to hold joint public hearings to bring attention to the AIDS epidemic in Philadelphia and to examine possible solutions to this crisis.
End