JANUARY 10, 1997 GAY PEOPle's ChronICLE 11

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Ohio AIDS groups join to push for protease funding

Cleveland-Greetings from the front. Our earlier articles this past fall hopefully helped to inform readers of the advances made in basic HIV/AIDS treatment during 1996. For the first time during the 16 years of this pandemic, PWAS and physicians have the ability to make treatment choices that have shown great promise and are able to be mea-

sured accurately

for their effectiveness.

ACT UP Cleveland marked World AIDS Day on December I by lobbying with the activists in the North Coast HIV/AIDS Coalition to insure that Cleveland city officials, City Council, civic leaders and officials of surrounding suburbs were aware of the dire

ACT UP

need for increased funding for protease inhibitors in Ohio.

While many leaders have sent word to Voinovich urging his support, the governor has made no comment as to his inten-

That is, proTHE AIDS COALITION TO UNLEASH POWER tions regarding this vided the Ohio

resident living

with HIV/AIDS has insurance with prescription coverage, is in the state prison system, or

is qualified to receive Medicaid.

In recent weeks the Ohio Department of Health mailed letters to many service providers alerting them to the fact that for the first time since their FDA approval, protease inhibitors would be available to PWAS in the state who are eligible for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) on a limited basis.

Several weeks later, after intense lobbying from AIDS activists across Ohio, the announcement was made that as of April 1, all people who qualify for ADAP will be eligible for protease inhibitors. While we applaud this development, by their own admission the state health department expects demand to exceed the available funds for this program. The health department's HIV Drug Program Advisory Committee has recommended that Governor Voinovich include an additional $4,000,000 in his upcoming 199899 state budget for this program.

funding. Historically, the governor has

never commented on a budget prior to submitting it to the legislature for their debate.

Our best sources in Columbus are unable to give any indication as to the governor's intentions, but urge us to maintain pressure in regards to this issue. To this end, ACT UP Cleveland has joined with the North Coast HIV/AIDS Coalition, the Columbus AIDS Task Force, and the Ohio AIDS Coalition in an effort to bring together AIDS activists and service providers from across the state for the first time in the history of this pandemic. We are intending to speak with one loud, clear voice on this issue.

This is a Call to Action! On the morning of February 12, a bus will leave from Cleveland to meet in Columbus with representatives from across the state in an effort to call on as many members of the Ohio House of Representatives as possible. We are also hoping for a meeting with Governor Voinovich.

It is our intention to help educate these women and men on the economic and moral advantages that these life saving medica-

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tions will have on the HIV infected in Ohio. Studies in states that have provided protease inhibitors for their HIV population have found it less costly than allowing PWAs to experience further disease progression and the costly hospitalizations that follow.

What can you do?

Money is desperately needed to finance this bus trip for PWAs and their caregivers. Call the AIDS Taskforce of Cleveland at 216-621-0766 and make a donation specifically to cover the cost of this trip.

Make an appointment to see your state representative, and join us on February 12.

Call the governor's office and ask him for a meeting on February 12 regarding funding for the state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

Call the parents and families of a friend that you have lost to AIDS and ask them to join us. For them, AIDS will never be over and they will probably welcome the opportunity help save another parent's child.

The lives of hundreds of PWAs rest in our hands-what will you do?

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