Spring Break
AIDS rates rise, students educate local community
Janhavi Purohit
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Drexel University's Tri-Beta Biological Honors Society hosted an AIDS Awareness dinner Dec. 5, featuring speaker Dr. Andrew Steenhoff.
The event was part of an effort by the honors society to spread AIDS education efforts across the country. The society decided to hold this event after the freshman University 101 classes at Drexel stopped bringing in speakers on AIDS, according to President and Drexel student Ahmed Saliem.
Saliem points to the lack of preventative methods as one of the main factors in the spread of the disease.
"There have been a lot of cases where it could have been prevented and wasn't," Saliem said.
AIDS education is, according to Saliem, the most effective way to fight the spread of the disease.
"If anything, I honestly believe the best way to combat the disease would be educating younger kids. We have huge problem in Philly with high school kids having unprotected sex. We need to educate them so they know that the risks of their behavior is not a joke," Saliem said. "The more you educate the population, the more you can combat the disease."
Steenhoff, the keynote speaker, is an infectious diseases specialist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and specializes in pediatric HIV.
Steenhoff points to two factors as playing a part in the sudden rise in the rate of the population with AIDS - the CVC-required test for HIV patients, and carelessness among sexually active individuals.
"I think that even in this country, there is still a lot of stigma, and even false beliefs about HIV, so I think any opportunity for people to talk about it seems a tremendous opportunity," Steenhoff said.
In his speech at the dinner, Steenhoff commented on the rising rates of AIDS nationally and internationally, as well as the biological aspect of the disease. Steenhoff closed his speech on a "hopeful" note. "This is a good time to live in terms of people who have HIV," Steenhoff said.
Next quarter, the Tri-Beta Biological Honors Society plans to propagate a variety of community service programs, among other projects. According to Saliem, the society is planning an outreach program for students in the area to take effect this coming spring.
The event was part of an effort by the honors society to spread AIDS education efforts across the country. The society decided to hold this event after the freshman University 101 classes at Drexel stopped bringing in speakers on AIDS, according to President and Drexel student Ahmed Saliem.
Saliem points to the lack of preventative methods as one of the main factors in the spread of the disease.
"There have been a lot of cases where it could have been prevented and wasn't," Saliem said.
AIDS education is, according to Saliem, the most effective way to fight the spread of the disease.
"If anything, I honestly believe the best way to combat the disease would be educating younger kids. We have huge problem in Philly with high school kids having unprotected sex. We need to educate them so they know that the risks of their behavior is not a joke," Saliem said. "The more you educate the population, the more you can combat the disease."
Steenhoff, the keynote speaker, is an infectious diseases specialist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and specializes in pediatric HIV.
Steenhoff points to two factors as playing a part in the sudden rise in the rate of the population with AIDS - the CVC-required test for HIV patients, and carelessness among sexually active individuals.
"I think that even in this country, there is still a lot of stigma, and even false beliefs about HIV, so I think any opportunity for people to talk about it seems a tremendous opportunity," Steenhoff said.
In his speech at the dinner, Steenhoff commented on the rising rates of AIDS nationally and internationally, as well as the biological aspect of the disease. Steenhoff closed his speech on a "hopeful" note. "This is a good time to live in terms of people who have HIV," Steenhoff said.
Next quarter, the Tri-Beta Biological Honors Society plans to propagate a variety of community service programs, among other projects. According to Saliem, the society is planning an outreach program for students in the area to take effect this coming spring.
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