Implementing local HIV/AIDS programs that would collaborate with establishments in the area and concentrate on the social mobilization of different groups of people would be the most effective solution to the AIDS crisis among women and the immigrant population. These programs would be composed of health clinics where individuals could get tested as well as treatment services for drug users specifically geared towards minority women. The programs should promote community building and extend efforts to the high-risk groups such as IDU, MSM, and women within the immigrant population. The challenges to implementing these programs are the financial and resource allocation strategies that are necessary to provide their funding. The cost of operating a service coordinating prevention services would be around $49,700 and $6,400 for individual infections. This is estimated to be “less than the cost of treating a case of HIV disease [11].” The coordination of the program would consist of:
- Hiring bilingual staff workers trained in communication with people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) to reduce ignorance and stigmatization
- Involving PLWHA in all aspects of the programs
- Having the right to access to health, social, and psychological services
- The establishment of more Free Health Care Clinics in Harlem, New York City.
These points are important in order to promote understanding within the community. Bilingual staff workers can communicate efficiently with people of different cultural backgrounds and assess their needs therefore comprehending their individual problems. It is extremely important to involve people living the disease within the clinics because the ability to associate a face with the disease serves those who may face stigmatization and embarrassment. The access to referrals to others programs with social and psychological services will also be provided in order to assist people with their mental and internal adaptation to living with the disease. There is a definite need for the establishment of Free Health Care Clinics specifically in Harlem because the other area with high rates of AIDS, Chelsea, is more affluent. Its population, primarily homosexual men, is getting access to the health care they require. The same cannot be said for those at high risk residing in Harlem.
The cost of programs for PLWHA is $606 per beneficiary which refers mostly to health clinics. Social support is $108 per beneficiary, the cost of psychological support is $73.5, and the cost to treat women with AIDS is $21.9 [9]. The financial support is provided by Nongovernmental organizations. This plan would work because HIV infections have declined in the United States since the mid-1980s as a result of prevention success. It is difficult to estimate the costs of prevention because it depends on the existence of outreach organizations. It was stated that out of one hundred people that had access to condoms and educational services, one infected was avoided per year [9]. Currently, there are only four STD clinics that offer free service located throughout Manhattan in Chelsea, Central Harlem, East Harlem, and Riverside. The New York City Free Clinics are supported by sponsors such as The New York University: College of Dentistry, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Office of Community Service, Faculty Council and the Lean H. Charney Heart Rhythm Center. These sponsors have contributed about $20,000 to assist individuals living in New York City who are uninsured [4].
Money should be spent to implement these programs because the problem protruding now is a way to prevent more cases of HIV from coming into existence. The prevention methods of the past are not necessarily working and people are ignoring the information to staying healthy. This could be due in part by officials being driven by research funding instead of a genuine concern for those whose lives are at stake (Sanders II EC). The programs proposed are beneficial to establishing a community where people at risk can resort to for educational information and those who are PLWHA can receive support. If a person contracts HIV and then advances to AIDS, in retrospect the amount of money spent to preventing them from contracting HIV would be significantly less than treating them with HIV/AIDS medication. The annual cost of HIV/AIDS drug medication is reported to be $4,000 (Olender). The cost of HIV/AIDS medication has risen and will continue to rise. Highly expensive priced medications of 2005 such as Trizivir ($1040), Combivir ($640), Reyataz ($750), and Fuzeon ($1914) [12] have increased to Trizivir ($11164.35), Combivir ($752.64), Reyataz ($892.91), and Fuzeon ($2315.40) [3]. Given this data, it would be prudent to assess the current situation of HIV/AIDS in the high prevalent areas of Manhattan by promoting these prevention methods.
In order to attract participants to the clinics to get tested for HIV, there would be a complete distribution of advertisements to various forms of public transportation. There would also be billboard advertisements displayed in the target areas where the high risk individuals reside. The cost of a billboard advertisement can be anywhere from $700 to $25,000. Compared to print advertisement in magazines and newspaper that only run for one day, the cost of a billboard ad is more economical [2]. The cost of advertising in New York City is higher than advertising anywhere else because of the population of over eight million people. The cost of a bus bench advertisement would average about $250 per placement [2]. Advertisements would be displayed in subway trains and buses as well as on them. They would primarily focus on the train lines that operate throughout Harlem. The advertisements displayed would be translated in various languages targeting the specific ethnic neighborhoods. Justified by the amount of people who use public transportation in New York City, the advertisements would be highly effective.