Faculty Support of World AIDS Day Events in New Haven
World AIDS Day unites people across the globe annually on December 1 for the fight against HIV, and remember those who have passed away due to AIDS-related illness.
“While patient care has improved drastically over the years, we are still without a cure to this disease,” said Lydia Aoun-Barakat, MD, associate professor of medicine (infectious diseases) and medical director of Yale New Haven Hospital’s Nathan Smith Clinic. “HIV is still an epidemic. It is important to get tested and know your status, and get started on a treatment program.”
World AIDS Day helps to increase awareness and funds to battle the disease. According to CDC.com, over 1.2 million Americans had HIV at the end of 2018, and over 15,000 people with HIV passed away the same year.
Barakat and Michael Virata, MD, FACP, assistant professor of medicine (infectious diseases) and director, HIV Clinical Services, are members on the New Haven Mayor’s Taskforce on AIDS (MTFA) and work on efforts to enhance prevention, treatment, and advocacy services in New Haven.
The MTFA has planned four days of events in New Haven in honor of World AIDS Day, with 10 free events from November 30 to December 3.
The culmination of the four days of events is the Elise Cofield Awards. Cofield was a ‘trailblazer’ in the fight against AIDS in the local community. Sharon Joslin, APRN, FNP, director of the Community Health Care Van, a mobile medical clinic run by Yale School of Medicine, is nominated for this year’s award.
“I am so honored to be nominated for the Elise Cofield Award highlighting the work of our team on the Community Health Care Van to end the HIV epidemic. Our team consists of the most dedicated and talented members: Rodolfo Lopez, Sr., Angel P. Ojeda, Migdalia Williams, and Rodolfo Lopez, Jr., who work tirelessly to help the New Haven community residents reaching out into the community to improve their health with HIV and other critical health issues such as reducing health care disparities, syringe services, gender equality, human rights, social justice, and access to care. I also want to thank Dr. Frederick Altice who leads our team and hired me many years ago as a new member to the local HIV coalition, to work in our community to fight to end the HIV epidemic collaborating with all the health care and social services in New Haven improving care to all,” said Joslin.
The 40 ft. mobile clinic has traveled directly to New Haven’s poorest neighborhoods impacted by HIV/AIDS, illicit drug use, homelessness, and mental illness. The van is equipped with examination and counseling rooms and can communicate with Yale New Haven Health’s medical record system, Epic. During the COVID-19 epidemic, the van’s new mission supported these communities by helping reduce community transmission by distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) and educational materials on the disease.
“Sharon has been a local champion for the underserved. Not only has she been at the center of New Haven’s Syringe Services Program and Community Health Care Van to meet those most at need of health at their doorstep, but she responded quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring those most in need continued to get the services they needed most,” said the clinic’s creator Rick Altice, MD, professor of medicine (infectious diseases).
The van also provided postpartum care during the pandemic, through a partnership with the Department of Pediatrics. “We were able to provide this very important postpartum care for the baby and mother, which is accessible and minimizes the risk of transmission and exposure to COVID-19,” said Leslie Sude, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics.
Yale’s Section of Infectious Diseases has long been a leader in AIDS-related research, education, and training of future caregivers, along with caring for those with virus in the local New Haven community.
As part of MTFA’s work, events are being held across New Haven in conjunction with the New Haven Pride Center. For a complete schedule of events including streaming information for The Elise Cofield Awards, please visit World AIDS Day Observation 2020.
Yale’s Section of Infectious Diseases is an international leader in patient care, research, and education for infectious diseases. Learn more about their work at Infectious Diseases.