By Mark Bashore, WKAR
LANSING, MI –
Ingham County health officials say the county continues to log the second highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the state. In 2008, Ingham registered 148 infections for every 100,000 people. That trailed only Wayne County. Dr. Peter Gulick is an infectious disease specialist with the health department. He says the county does not have an unusually high rate, but that diagnostic efforts are more vigorous.
"The fact that we can do more screening, we can get them into care....we are Ryan White funded so we can take patients with any kind or no insurance, so that helps a lot as well," he says. "No one is left without treatment or care."
Health officials also say the infection rate is roughly nine-times higher among African-Americans than whites in Michigan. The Health Department and the Lansing Area AIDS Network are leading the area's participation in Michigan's Sixth Annual Black Aids Awareness Campaign. The effort runs through March 10th.