Mississippi has one of the highest positivity rates of HIV in the nation, and medical professionals are discussing how to improve HIV testing, prevention and ways to make Mississippi patients safer. Dr. Christopher Roby is Chief Operating Officer at the Community Health Centers Association of Mississippi. He says these centers can help reach the most underserved Mississippians.
“Because of the silos and the way things have been working in the state of Mississippi, everyone is applying for various pots of money, but no one is working collaboratively together,” says Dr. Roby. “This is the first step in getting all these individuals in a room, and talking and having the conversation that we need to have.”
At a conference in Flowood, speakers discussed a variety of HIV issues. One breakout session aimed to reduce the stigma toward HIV and improve patient safety. Laquita Hatcher with the HIV-focused nonprofit My Brother’s Keeper shared ways that healthcare workers can discuss the often taboo topic with patients.
“So in my session about motivational interviewing, that’s one of the things that we talked about,” says Hatcher. “It’s like, how do we have those conversations? How do we ask those questions? Why is that important? Why is that necessary in healthcare?”
Among the health leaders attending the conference is Dr. Lionel Fraser, Medical Director for Central Mississippi Health Services. He says this initiative will help his organization put more focus on HIV testing and prevention.
Dr. Fraser says “We have the ability and success of the drugs used for pre-exposure prophylaxis, such that this epidemic can be cured, can be stopped in its tracks.”
Experts urge Mississippians who may be at risk of contracting HIV to get tested and use preventative therapies such as PREP.
