AHF Applauds Obama for Urging All Americans to Get Tested for HIV

President Encourages Effort to Find More than 230,000 HIV Positive, Undiagnosed
Individuals, Those Thought to be the Source for Majority of 56,000 New HIV
Infections in U.S. Each Year
WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the nation`s largest non-profit HIV/AIDS
healthcare provider, praised President Obama`s statement and video message on
National HIV Testing Day, Saturday, June 27th. Breaking his personal silence on
AIDS since taking office, the President encouraged all Americans to get tested
for HIV, to find the more than 230,000 Americans who are unaware they have
HIV/AIDS, and are thought to be the source of the majority of the 56,000 yearly
HIV infections in the United States.

"After over 150 days of silence, AHF is pleased that not only has the President
chosen to speak on HIV, but that his message-that testing to find those who
don`t know they have HIV is one of the best and most direct ways to reduce new
infections-is spot on," said Michael Weinstein, President of AHF. "We hope that
the President will continue to strongly reinforce this message, and will put
real political will and the necessary funding behind this issue."

"This welcome message by President Obama is consistent with previous actions
within the Centers for Disease Control to prioritize AIDS testing and treatment,
and helps confirm the impression that the Obama administration understands that
finding the undiagnosed, and getting them into care, is the next great struggle
in fighting HIV/AIDS in America," said Ged Kenslea, AHF`s Communications
Director, referring to the administration`s previous dedication of over 70% of
new AIDS funding for the CDC to HIV testing and treatment.

Over the past few months, AHF has publicly and vigorously urged President Obama
to act forcefully on the AIDS epidemic here and abroad. On Saturday, the same
day President Obama first spoke out publicly on AIDS since taking office, AHF
concluded its groundbreaking three week, 14 city cross country AHF/Magic Johnson
Free HIV testing Caravan in Washington. Throughout the 4339 mile trip, AHF`s
testing team performed a total of 727 free HIV tests across the country and
identified `preliminary HIV positive` individuals in Houston, New Orleans and
Columbia, SC. Those individuals found to be HIV positive were immediately linked
with local partner agencies for confirmatory testing of their HIV status as well
as for linkage to medical care and treatment.

The AHF/Magic Johnson HIV Testing Caravan was an effort to raise local and
national awareness about the importance-and ease-of HIV testing and to challenge
attitudes about moving toward a streamlined model of HIV testing and counseling.

About AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the nation`s largest non-profit HIV/AIDS
healthcare provider. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to more
than 100,000 individuals in 21 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin
America/Caribbean and Asia. Additional information is available at
www.aidshealth.org.

AHF Associate Director of Communications
Lori Yeghiayan
Office: 323-860-5227, Cell: 323-377-4312
loriy@aidshealth.org
or
AHF Communications Director
Ged Kenslea
Office: 323-860-5225, Cell: 323-791-5526
gedk@aidshealth.org

Copyright Business Wire 2009