Mayor Bernard ‘Jack’ Young, Local Leaders to Open AHF’s First Baltimore Healthcare Center Thursday, June 13th

In Featured, News by Ged Kenslea

BALTIMORE (June 12, 2019) Working together to address the current  HIV epidemic in Baltimore, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), will be joined by Baltimore Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young, State Senator Mary Washington, City Council President Brandon Scott and other members of the Baltimore City Council and Maryland General Assembly to host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new cutting-edge, non-profit healthcare center, located at 11 E Lexington St Suite 100 on Thursday, June 13th at 3:00 p.m. with speakers and the formal ribbon-cutting at 4:00 p.m.  The location will provide free, rapid HIV testing, free STD testing and treatment and state of the art medical care for those living with HIV Medical services will be provided by AHF Maryland Medical Director, Dr. Leleka Doonquah, who has over two decades of experience in providing HIV-specific medical care and has been actively involved in the Maryland community through her leadership at the AHF Temple Hills location.

WHAT:             NEW, FREE BALTIMORE HIV/AIDS CLINIC GRAND OPENING & RIBBON-CUTTING Baltimore Mayor Young to join local leaders and AHF President for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception for grand opening of AHF’s first non-profit Healthcare Center and AHF Pharmacy in Baltimore to address the growing HIV epidemic in Baltimore.

WHEN:             Thursday, June 13th – 3:00 p.m., with speakers and formal ribbon-cutting at 4:00 p.m.

Reception and Street Party to immediately follow

WHERE:           11 E. Lexington Street, Suite 100, Baltimore, MD 21202

 

WHO:               Hon. Bernard “Jack” Young, Mayor – City of Baltimore

Hon. Brandon Scott, Council President – City of Baltimore 

Hon. Eric Costello, Councilman – Baltimore City Council, District 11

Hon. Zeke Cohen, Councilman – Baltimore City Council, District 1

Hon. Robert Stokes, Sr., Councilman – Baltimore City Council, District 12

Hon. John Bullock, Councilman – Baltimore City Council, District 9

                        Hon. Mary Washington, Maryland State Senator, MD-043

                        Hon. Nick Mosby, Delegate – Maryland House of Delegates, MD-040

                        Hon. Robbyn Lewis, Delegate – Maryland House of Delegates, MD-046

                        Michael Weinstein, President – AHF

                        Donna Tempesta, AHF Northern Bureau Chief

                        Dr. Leleka Doonquah, Medical Director, Baltimore AHF Healthcare Center

                        Michel McVickers, AHF Regional Director – Maryland/D.C.

Peter DeMartino, Acting Director, Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services

Bureau, Maryland Department of Health

Mimi Demissew, Executive Director of The Pride Center of Maryland

 

 

“Through Dr. Doonquah’s over 2 decades of expertise in providing HIV-specific care to patients and AHF’s commitment to the community by providing cutting edge medical care regardless of one’s ability to pay, we are thrilled to expand our services into Baltimore and to work with local community leaders, like Mayor Young, in addressing the HIV epidemic disproportionately impacting this community,” said Mike McVicker-Weaver, AHF Regional Director.

 

AHF Healthcare Centers aim to decrease the number of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses by providing:

  • Free HIV testing so people can be aware of their status;
  • Immediate linkage into care – regardless of ability to pay – for those who test positive; and
  • Support through ongoing follow-ups to ensure adherence to a health regimen that will ultimately extend life expectancies and reduce the risk of transmission.

 

“I am pleased to be expanding our HIV care into the Baltimore area, to further address the HIV epidemic impacting communities across Maryland,” stated AHF Medical Director Dr. Leleka Doonquah. “As a non-profit agency specializing in HIV, through our innovative medical care and pharmacy services we are committed to putting the needs of the clients we serve as a priority.”

 

The new AHF Healthcare Center hours of operation are:

 

Tuesday:  10am – 7pm

Thursday and Friday:  8:30am – 5:30pm

 

Free testing (and treatment, when needed) for syphilis, Chlamydia and gonorrhea provided on Tuesday and Thursday: 1pm – 5pm during AHF Wellness Center hours.

 

In the near future AHF will also open a full service pharmacy, that will be housed at the new healthcare center.  The AHF Pharmacy will be a full-service facility staffed with pharmacists who specialize in HIV/AIDS medications (as well as general pharmacy services) that provide clients with access to the additional specialists, medications and services they need to be as healthy as possible.

 

According to recent statistics from the Maryland Department of Public Health:

 

  • Baltimore City and Prince George’s County have the highest rates of new HIV diagnoses in the state;
  • Maryland was rated 5th in the nation in regards to new HIV diagnosis;
  • Close to 12% of people living with HIV in Maryland remain undiagnosed and are unaware of their status.

 

 

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AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 1.1 million individuals in 44 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us @aidshealthcare.

 

 

 

 

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