Walgreens & Greater Than AIDS Team with Health Departments & Local AIDS Service Organizations to Offer HIV Testing in Support...
June 17 2014 - 10:25AM
Business Wire
Free HIV Testing Events at Select Walgreens
Locations in More Than 140 Cities, June 26-28
In support of National HIV Testing Day, June 27, Walgreens
(NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq: WAG), the nation’s largest drugstore chain,
and Greater Than AIDS, a coalition of about 200 public and private
sector partners united in response to the domestic AIDS epidemic,
are teaming with health departments and local AIDS service
organizations across the country to encourage community members to
take advantage of free HIV testing.
Free HIV tests will be available June 26-28 at select Walgreens
in more than 140 cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco and
Washington, D.C. Nearly 200 state and local health departments and
AIDS service organizations (ASOs) will lead testing events and will
provide results on-site within minutes.
Of the more than 1.1 million people living with HIV in the U.S.,
an estimated one in six do not know that they are infected and only
one and four has their virus under control with treatment.1 Early
diagnosis and treatment saves lives and is known to reduce the
spread of HIV. Those with HIV who are on treatment and in care can
reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others by as much as 96
percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
encourages everyone to know their status.
“Since the beginning of the epidemic, Walgreens has served as a
trusted resource to help people know their status and manage their
condition,” said Glen Pietrandoni, senior director, virology,
specialty products and services, Walgreens. “We are proud to
collaborate with Greater Than AIDS and community partners to
increase access to testing and education which we know is critical
to being a part of the solution to end AIDS.”
“Greater Than AIDS is about communities working together to
achieve a greater goal. These testing events are powerful examples
of what can be achieved when the public and private sector come
together in response to HIV/AIDS,” said Tina Hoff, Senior Vice
President and Director of Health Communication and Media
Partnerships, Kaiser Family Foundation, a founding partner of
Greater Than AIDS. “Not only will thousands have access to free
testing in a familiar and trusted location in their neighborhoods,
but the very act of offering the tests in Walgreens helps to
normalize HIV testing as a part of routine health care.”
Throughout the year, Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS distribute
HIV informational resources through Walgreens 700 HIV-specialized
pharmacies. These specialized pharmacies have specially trained
community pharmacists offering one-on-one, confidential medication
counseling to encourage medication adherence, and can also assist
with other care needs such as identifying co-pay assistance
options.
BioLytical Laboratories donated 10,000 INSTI HIV one-minute,
finger-prick test kits to support the effort at select testing
sites. Other locations will offer rapid results using available
oral fluid or blood-based HIV testing technologies. National
organizations like the Black AIDS Institute's Black Treatment
Advocacy Networks and AIDS United are mobilizing community networks
to recruit individuals in most affected communities to take
advantage of the opportunity to learn their HIV status.
For more information on participating locations and testing
hours, visit www.greaterthan.org/walgreens.
Walgreens
As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2013 sales
of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to be the
first choice in health and daily living for everyone in America,
and beyond. Each day, Walgreens provides more than 6 million
customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer
goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and
wellness services and advice in communities across America.
Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty,
infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory
services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs
for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health
systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The
company operates 8,216 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Take Care Health
Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most
comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and
in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 750 locations
throughout the country.
About Greater Than AIDS
Greater Than AIDS is a leading national public information
response focused on the U.S. domestic epidemic. Launched in 2009,
it is supported by a broad coalition of public and private sector
partners, including: major media and other business leaders;
Federal, state and local health agencies and departments; national
leadership groups; AIDS service and other community organizations;
and foundations, among others. Through targeted media messages and
community outreach, Greater Than AIDS works to increase knowledge,
reduce stigma and promote actions to stem the spread of the
disease. While national in scope, Greater Than AIDS focuses on
communities most affected.
The Kaiser Family Foundation provides strategic direction and
day-to-day management, as well as oversees the production of the
campaigns. The Black AIDS Institute – a think tank exclusively
focused on AIDS in Black America – provides leadership and expert
guidance and supports community engagement. Additional financial
and substantive support is provided by the Elton John AIDS
Foundation and Ford Foundation, among others.
1 CDC. HIV Surveillance Supplemental Report, Vol. 18, No. 5;
October 2013. Data are estimates and do not include U.S. dependent
area.
WalgreensMarkeisha Marshall,
847-315-2923markeisha.marshall@walgreens.comorKaiser Family
FoundationRakesh Singh, 650-854-9400rsingh@kff.org
West Africa Gold (NASDAQ:WAGI)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2024 to Jul 2024
West Africa Gold (NASDAQ:WAGI)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024