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April 3, 2008
Illinois Advocates Rally for HIV Funding
Hundreds of HIV/AIDS advocates in Illinois gathered on the state capitol on April 2, urging lawmakers to support initiatives that will increase funding for people living with HIV, the Springfield, Illinois, State Journal-Register reports (sj-r.com, 4/3).
The advocates called for an additional $2 million to expand voluntary HIV testing services, the paper reports. They also asked lawmakers to support two separate bills awaiting senate floor approval, one that they say would help to prevent drug overdoses and another that would provide health insurance to low-income individuals in the state, including thousands of people living with HIV.
According to Christina Henry, a board member of the Minority AIDS Awareness Council, there are more than 40,000 people living with HIV in Illinois, and a quarter of them are unaware of their status.
During the rally, state Representative Greg Harris praised the advocates for speaking out, saying, “If you don’t ask down here, you don’t get.”
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