Федеральное финансирование в 300 тысяч долларов направлено на борьбу с ВИЧ в округе Вебб

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - More than 500 people are living with HIV in Webb County. Federal funding announced Friday, Sept. 4, will go toward growing local resources available to them. More than $300,000 in federal funding will go toward the City of Laredo’s Ryan White Part C Program. The federal funds will help people living with HIV access health care and support services, including lab diagnostics, case management, oral health care, behavioral health care and transportation. The funds will also support training and technical assistance. Sister Rosemary Welsh said she remembers the rampant spread of HIV in 1992. She said she now witnesses efforts to help those with HIV. “We need to treat each person with the deepest respect always. Because we haven’t walked in their shoes and walk with them in the way they want us to,” Welsh said. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, spoke at Friday’s announcement. “HIV doesn’t mean it’s a death sentence anymore, like it used to be years ago. And we’re just trying to have, help those people that have HIV live normal lives,” Cuellar said. During the announcement, Cuellar discussed concerns over Medicaid cuts, including the expected loss of $27 million per day in Medicaid funding for Texas hospitals. Richard Chamberlain, director of the Laredo Public Health Department, said the funding helps those without insurance access medical care. “Especially those who are uninsured have access to the medical care and support and wraparound services that they need to continue to thrive,” Chamberlain said. The Laredo Public Health Department serves as an HIV and STD provider for Webb, Jim Hogg, Starr and Zapata counties, making Laredo a health care hub for South Texas. For more headlines, click here.