Estimated Cost:
According to an article by Rose, the cost for establishing a mobile syringe exchange program in San Francisco is approximately $100,000. Also, in another article, it states that “The 30-foot long mobile AIDS vans, which each cost approximately $100,000, are equipped with modern, private rooms for HIV/AIDS counseling and testing. Each will be staffed by four trained Department of Health (DOH) public health advisors who will test New Yorkers for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), Tuberculosis (TB) and Hepatitis B. In addition, health advisors will also make referrals for health care, social services, and substance abuse treatment” (48 ). According to the HIV/AIDS Policy fact sheet, the average US budget for AIDS is “Approximately $18.9 billion (83%) of the FY 2007 HIV/AIDS request is for domestic programs; $3.9 billion (17%) is for global programs” (47). The US budget on AIDS needs to be redistributed since this $100,000 budget is only for one mobile syringe exchange van. There are several of these operating across the country and this does not include the AIDS centers existing across the country. Therefore, the US budget needs to be redistributed in order to meet the needs of the AIDS budget.