Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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S.C. addresses AIDS pandemic BY BRIAN RAY THE GAMECOCK -Columbia is ranked 14th in the nation for HIV infection out of all U.S. cities, said Marcous Gardner, the head of the HIV and AIDS pro grams at the Thomson Student Health Center. He said South Carolina ranks ninth in the nation for HIV infection. “We do get a lot of students who think they might have been ex posed and fortunately test nega tive,” Gardner said. “The turn around time for results is usually a week. However, the new Oraquick HIV test can test your HIV status in 20 minutes.” Last week ^resident tsusn concluded his tour of Africa, where he touted the $15 billion Global AIDS Initiative for African and Caribbean coun tries. The Bush administration allocates nearly $10 billion a year for domestic HIV and AIDS research and treatment. Gardner said that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 500 college students in the United States is in fected with HIV. This means, he said, that USC with its student population of 26,000 has approxi mately 52 infected students. Program Manager Susan Fulmer of the South Carolina AIDS Training Network at the School of Public Health said the HIV problem stems from lack of awareness about AIDS and HIV, in addition to what she called re ligious conservatism. “Here it’s treated as a moral dis ease, not a pandemic,” Fulmer said, referring to what she said was a discrepancy between how cultures in Sub-Saharan Africa have responded to lar ge percent ages of victims and how South .Carolina has re sponded. Fulmer said she could re member when Gov. Beasley “told the state Health Department not to distribute condoms.” The S.C. AIDS Training AIDS STATS 1ft nnn+ Number of S.C. xo,uuu resj(jents infected in 2002. According to S.C. DHEC. o 1 AIDS-reiated deaths J A in 2002, worldwide. million According to Joint United Nations Programme One-third Portion ofthe uiie uiiiu $15bil|ion earmarked for AIDS Initiative allocated for abstinence-only education. According to Hentage Community Services Network participates in the Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership program. Fulmer said 40 representatives from commu "" ^ ^ PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK President George W. Bush and President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni, top left, greet the Watoto Childrens Choir in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington D.C. on June 10, 2003. The choir is made up of children who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS or conflict. nity-based organizations are sent to Atlanta as part of the program each year to receive training in public health management. State Sen. Michael Fair, R Greenville, said he thought absti nence-only education programs were far more effective than any other method. “The only way that’s foolproof is waiting,” Fair said. President and founder of Heritage Community Services, Anne Badgley, said her organiza tion teaches 15,000 teens about the benefits of abstinence every year. “We give them tools to learn how life works without playing games,” Badgley said. Badgley said the program has seen a 72 percent drop in the ini tiation of sexual activity by stu dents who have completed the pro gram twice. The program began in 1995 and was first used to educate Navy sailors about the benefits of absti nence. Although South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control says the largest demographic for HIV in fection in the state is black males, Gardner said HIV is an unbiased killer. “Many people still believe AIDS is a gay disease,” Gardner said. “Everyone is at risk for HIV infec tion, regardless of their sexual ori entation or socio-economic status.” Fulmer said that the School of Public Health would host the 2003 South Carolina HIV and STD Conference, October 15 to 17 in Charleston. More than 600 doctors, physicians, nurses and staff from AIDS service organizations will at tend, she said. Guest speakers in that past have included former Attorney General Jocelyn Elders, known for advocating the instruc tion of masturbation in schools. The event is open to the public. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com Sons CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 told reporters in Baghdad. Four coalition soldiers were wounded and two other Iraqis were killed in the raid, but Saddam was not among them. The house belonged to a Saddam cousin, a tribal leader in the region.. “We are certain that Odai and Qusai were killed today,” Sanchez said. “The bodies were in such a condition where you could identify them.” The daily attacks on U.S. oc cupation troops in recent weeks are thought to he the work of former military officers and Baath Party leaders loyal to Saddam and his family - espe cially the sons, who played pri mary roles in the military and feared security services. After the firefight in Mosul, about 1,000 people gathered out side the smoldering villa, some expressing delight, others curs ing the Americans. wusc CONTINUED ROM PAGE 1 Web broadcasts. “Right then was when a lot of college stations started to worry,” Blackman said. “It was completely infeasible - it was about $20,000 per year.” But last January, the Recording Industry Association of America negotiated with representatives from college radio to hash out an exemption for educational radio. College radio stations have until mid-October to opt in to the lower royalty rates, but stations like WUSC that previously webcast will have to pay for past royalties. “We need at least $1,500 to pay back royalties and to clear us through 2004,” Blackman said. “After that, it’s only going to be about $500 a year. The station has pitched the effort with posters all over Columbia and three weeks of radio promotion. The marathon has interested The State newspa per, whose entertainment colum nist Michael Miller has inter viewed WUSC staff for his Friday feature. The station’s phone number is 803-576-9872, but if you’re feeling generous, don’t wait until this Friday. WUSC accepts donations through its Web site at wusc.sc.edu. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com iHS SURF YOURSELF Help fund the WUSC Web radio station, wusc.sc.edu/beatles.htm