Ambassador Deborah L. Birx, M.D. Visits East Bay Agencies Working to Address HIV/AIDS
Oakland, CA – Today, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Deborah L. Birx, M.D. visited two East Bay agencies working to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
“I am pleased to welcome Ambassador Birx to the East Bay to see the great work being done by Allen Temple AIDS Ministry and Asian Health Services to address HIV/AIDS in the East Bay and globally,” said Congresswoman Lee. “HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately affect communities of color and these organizations are working to prevent new infections, educate the community and provide vital services to those living with HIV.”
“I am delighted to join Representative Lee in her district to meet people working on the front lines of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Her leadership on HIV/AIDS has been long-standing and instrumental in the U.S. and around the world. The Bay Area has been a model domestically and globally for how prevention, treatment and care services can be delivered effectively; but there is still unmet need. Through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief we are scaling up evidence-based interventions to address gaps in coverage and we will continue the dialogue with our counterparts working with communities in the U.S. to share best practices,” said Ambassador Birx.
The Congresswoman and Ambassador Birx visited the Allen Temple AIDS Ministry, a strong advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness, which provides medical treatment services and operates a meal program for homebound seniors living with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, they operate a global AIDS program clinic in Zimbabwe with the Mother of Peace Orphanage.
They also visited Asian Health Services, a community health clinic, working towards integrating HIV testing in primary care.
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of both the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the newly formed Whip’s Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality and Opportunity.