Dr. Laura Herrera, deputy commissioner for the Baltimore City Department of Health, oversees the treatment of about 500 HIV-positive, undeserved patients. On Monday — the 20th annual commemoration of World AIDS Day, Herrera discussed the increasing infection rate and the challenges to reversing the trend.
Is it true that some Baltimore ZIP codes have infection rates that rival African communities?
Yes. 21217, 21218 and 21213.
Baltimore City has the second highest rate case in the nation compared with other cities, and Maryland the third compared with other states. What demographics are most infected here?
It’s predominantly male, and almost 90 percent African-Americans. Heterosexual transmission is the No. 1 reason for infection here, followed by intravenous drug injections.
How has treatment changed over the past 20 years?
Is the disease still fatal? We have more classes of drugs that are easier to take, with less side effects. We now have one pill you can take once a day. Is it considered fatal? There are plenty of patients who live for years without compromised health effects.
What about those without health care access?
We have an incredible program called the Ryan White initiative. We get over $20 million for primary HIV care for the uninsured and underinsured. We have a pretty comprehensive system to get the care we need. Our system has never been so overwhelmed that we have had to turn patients away, as have happened in other states.
Maryland’s new case rate is the highest in the country. Are people not getting the message? Is the message hard to keep out there?
All of the above. They aren’t getting the message out and it’s hard to keep it out there, especially with funding cuts. Public service announcements are expensive. We need more leaders — faith leaders, school leaders, political leaders. We really need to call attention to the epidemic again, which unfortunately has gone by the wayside.
