Magic Johnson in partnership with University of Miami to offer quality care to HIV persons
Miami, July 29, GNA- Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr a retired American professional basketball player has partnered with the University of Miami and Clear Health Alliance (CHA) to provide high quality medical services to the growing HIV and AIDS population in South Florida.
The partnership with the University was to ensure that medical services reach ethnically diverse urban communities in Miami-Dade County, which ranked first in the US for new HIV cases per capital with neighboring Broward County ranking second.
Speaking to some journalists who participated in the just ended 19th World AIDS Day and a tour to familiarize themselves with the HIV and AIDS situation here in the United States, Dr Mario Stevenson, Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases of the University, said it was also to ensure that efficient medical services was provided to those most in need.
He explained that physicians with Miller School of Medicine have created a team to provide managed care that will focus on offering quality service, reduce transmission rates and maintain the health of Medicaid patients living with HIV and AIDS.
Dr Pascal J. Goldschmidt, Dean of the Miller School and Chief Executive of the University of Miami Health Systems, said the collaboration was a new model involving academia, managed care and corporations that worked in partnerships.
“The extra ordinary advocacy and support of Magic Johnson to outstanding care for patients with HIV and AIDS, with increased efficiency, and we are looking forward to continuing our leading academic role against HIV”
Magic Johnson said aligning with doctors of the University of Miami and Clear Health Alliance will bring a comprehensive approach to caring for many Hispanics and African-Americans who are in majority of infection of the virus and may not have access to adequate care.
“We understand these needs and know that this partnership will bring real solutions to the challenges facing these patients”.
Miami Division of the Miami Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has the highest rate of infections in 2010, recorded a rate of 56.6 per 100,000 population. In 2011, Miami-Dade recorded a total of 33,622 AIDS cases and 13,135 HIV cases. Florida, which also ranks third in the nation in the same period, recorded 121,161 AIDS cases and 46,795 HIV cases.
It is estimated that more than one million people are living with HIV in the USA. The main transmission route among males was male-to-male sexual contact (74%), followed by heterosexual contact (14%) and injecting drug use (8%). Among female adult and adolescents, 84.9% were infected through heterosexual contact and 14.8% through injecting drug use.
In 2009 blacks African Americans made up an estimated 50% of new HIV diagnoses, whites 27%, and Hispanics/Latinos 19%. HIV was diagnosed in an estimated 166 children (under 13 years) in 2009 and all but 35 became infected through mother to child transmission.
Linda Asante Agyei, GNA Special Correspondent, Miami, Florida
Courtesy US State Department