Statement From Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald to Commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1

ALBANY, N.Y. (November 29, 2024) - "As we commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1, we honor the memories of those who were lost to this endemic far too soon and we continue our mission to remove longstanding systemic barriers to care and address inequities facing those who are currently living with the disease today.

"We have come a long way in reducing HIV infections in New York State, but there's so much more work to be done. This World AIDS Day is a reminder of the challenges ahead to find new, innovative ways to eliminate health disparities, improve the social determinants of health that directly impact health outcomes, and to complete our mission of ending the epidemic in New York State.

"As we look to the future, I invite New Yorkers to join the New York State Department of Health's AIDS Institute for the annual Ending the Epidemic Summit and World AIDS Day events on December 10 and 11. The panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display throughout this event at the Albany Capital Center. This year's theme is 'Unraveling Syndemics: A Community Response, Shared Solutions.' As we consider innovation, I can think of no better approach than to address the shared experiences of those who are living with intersecting epidemics, including HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infection, viral hepatitis and drug overdose.

"I encourage those interested in learning more about New York's commitment to ending the epidemic to register for these events by visiting: 2024 World AIDS Day and Ending the Epidemic Summit."