Infectious Diseases Center Recognizes its 20th Anniversary and World AIDS Day

CINCINNATI—The Infectious Diseases Center (IDC), a partnership between the University of Cincinnati, University Hospital and the Health Alliance, will recognize its 20th anniversary and World AIDS Day with a commemorative program on Friday, Dec. 1.

The event will take place from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Vontz Center auditorium,

The program will commemorate the Infectious Diseases Center’s 20 years of providing care for HIV patients, conducting HIV research and supporting community efforts to treat and prevent HIV infection. The program will also acknowledge the efforts and achievements of many community members and organizations in providing care and support of HIV patients.

Former Cincinnati broadcasting celebrity Nick Clooney will emcee the program, which will be attended by representatives from Cincinnati mayor Mark Mallory’s office as well as patients, physicians and staff from the Infectious Diseases Center and representatives from UC, University Hospital, the Health Alliance and other community organizations.

Since its inception in January 1986, the Infectious Diseases Center has cared for 4,500 people with HIV. Each year, the center provides care to nearly 1,600 people with HIV and sees 200 new HIV patients annually. The Ohio Department of Health estimates that the center treats 85 percent of Tristate HIV patients who are receiving care.

“The HIV/AIDS epidemic is not going away,” says Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, medical director of the center. “The number of newly diagnosed persons with HIV remains steady each year in Cincinnati. We’re extremely grateful for support from local, state and federal governments, as well as various funding agencies over the past 20 years. With this support we have discovered potent medicines, prevented and treated many of the infections that afflict people with AIDS, and learned how to prevent the spread of HIV from a mother to her baby.

“We need continuous funding to build upon these accomplishments and continue the fight against AIDS in Cincinnati.”