He said people need to know that there are treatments available for people with HIV and ways to protect their partners.
“But you can’t do any of that unless you have that conversation,” Suffoletto said.
World AIDS Day Dec. 1 attempts to focus attention on the global epidemic and provide an opportunity to increase public awareness, speak out against stigma and call for increased action the fight against HIV/AIDS.
According to KFF, as of 2024, 40 million people worldwide were living the HIV. That year, about 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes and 1.3 million were newly infected.
Region 9 (Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Preble counties) had 107 new HIV cases in 2024 according to a new report from Public Health, up five from 2023.
Montgomery County accounted for 65% of new cases, followed by Clark County with 28%.
New infections worldwide have declined almost 40% since 2010, in part because people are willing to talk about the disease a lot more than they were over previous decades.
“The main thing is trying to remove the stigma around talking about HIV and AIDS,” Suffoletto said.
Scientific advancements in prevention medications like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis have made HIV a manageable health condition to live with.
The key, Suffoletto said, is knowing your HIV status and talking about it with your partner.
Where to get tested
The Ohio HIV/AIDS Prevention Committee of Region 9 offers free testing at nine area locations:
Clark County Health Department, 529 E. Home Road, Springfield
Darke County Health District, 300 Garst Ave., Greenville
Equitas Health, 1222 S. Patterson Blvd., Dayton
Greene County Health Department, 360 Wilson Drive, Xenia
Miami County Public Health Department, 510 W. Water St., Troy
Preble County General Health District, 615 Hillcrest Drive, Eaton
Public Health - Dayton and Montgomery County, 117 S. Main St., Dayton
Public Health Outreach Office, 201 Riverside Drive, Dayton
Dr. Charles R. Drew Health Center, 1323 W. Third St., Dayton
Who should get tested for HIV
- Anyone age 13 to 64 should be tested at least once.
- All pregnant women should be tested for HIV along with other sexually transmitted infections.
- Sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from testing every three to six months.
- Anyone who has unsafe sex or shares injection drug equipment (needles) should get tested at least once a year.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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