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I remember seeing Puerto Rican POZ advocates at USCA 2007 in CA. They were not a happy group, but how could they be? They were all aware of how the political corruption in P.R. has negatively impacted men & women living with HIV/AIDS. In order for PLWHAs to receive health and support services, Federal funding must be better regulated to assure this happens. Saludos y abrazos to my brothers and sister in P.R. Que Dios los bendigan.
The theft of funds slated to treat AIDS in P.R. has been a travesty. I take my hat off to all the advocates in the island for their laborious commitment to inform the public there, as well as in the mainland. I am a 20 year survivor in the mainland, and even here HIV/AIDS is looked upon like leprosy. Please, continue to educate our Puerto Rican people, and help our brothers and sisters overcome their obstacles. Un fuerte abrazo, mis hermanos.
I am Puerto Rican. I left there in 1973 as a 2nd Lt. in the AF and never moved back. I have been poz since 1984. I have survived (not taking meds since fall of 2005), by following my own instinct, and not believing in superstition or relying on magical thinking. I am appalled at the ignorance, and cruelty described in the article. My parents who lived in PR tell me that the politicians in PR are all crooked. Homophobia is so prevalent. I am saddened.
Thats why i moved to New York with the purpose to find an cheaper alternative to positive people like me... Now I am a licensed acupuncturist and all what i have learned i am putting in practice with myself....Since 2001 I being fighting and I am med free and doing great...I would love to help but I am tight handed.
As a Puerto Rican and a Medical Case Manager working with person afflected with HIV/AIDS I find this story most disturbing but know it has been true for so many years. More needs to be done to reach out and mobilize our communities our people our land. I hope that more will take an active rule in for Latino AIDS awareness during October. Rather then just talking about it get and pointing the finger. We can do so much more rather then depending on our government to do it for us.
It is also true that the ADAP program does not work in Mayaguez, PR. Even the poverty level chart they use is to their own convenience and does not follow the same income rate levels than the ones in states like Florida, NY, or California. Here they kick you out just for having any private insurance from your job and not by analyzing your income versus the high deductable amount you have to pay for the medications which go over $225 a month. This leaves us even without extra $ for groceries!
Luz Angelica Aponte de Merchant
He sido manejadora de caso para personas con VIH desde el 1996. Me apena much la situacion de mis compueblanos viviendo con el virus. Si el Dept de Salud no puede manejar estos fondos, o asegurarse que se utilizen apropiadamente, entonces lo logico es que los CBO's reciban el dinero directamente. No podemos obtener diferentse resultados si siempre hacemos lo mismo(ello es la definicion de locura).
Gabe Gaslin
my pstner and I are from MN USA and wonder if there were benefits other than weather, for hiv poz, could we keep our benefits from USA while living in Puerot Rico
January 26, 2010 • crystal, mn, usa