by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
December 1, 2024
According to the CDC, Black people made up approximately 37 percent of all new HIV infections in the United States in 2022.
HealthyMD, a Black-owned healthcare company, has partnered with NewBirth Baptist Church to provide free medical testing on World AIDS Day.
HealthyMD will conduct the screenings at the famed Atlanta church led by Pastor Jamal Bryant on Dec. 1. The partnership will encourage those within the Black community to know their HIV and AIDS status and the realities of sexually transmitted infections, as shared in a press release to BLACK ENTERPRISE.
As HealthyMD inspires and educates attendees, they are contributing to World AIDS Day 2024 theme of “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress.” Beyond providing free and confidential testing for participants, they also aim to reduce stigma and misinformation surrounding HIV and AIDs.
While new medical advancements have increased the manageability of HIV and AIDS, the viruses still disproportionately impact communities of color. According to the CDC, Black and Hispanic people made up approximately 70 percent of all new HIV infections in the United States in 2022. Black people accounted for 37 percent of these diagnoses.
Georgia specifically has an infection rate double the national average, as southern states face increased poverty rates and healthcare shortages. Given the state’s diverse population, providing medical care and complimentary testing at the long-standing church allows HealthyMD to help remedy this systemic problem.
Through its mission to widen healthcare access, HealthyMD treats patients with comprehensive, end-to-end sexual healthcare across the country. Its co-founders and CEOs, Clifford W. Knights II and Steve Vixamar, have expanded the Florida-based company to over 20 mobile clinics. Furthermore, they have launched a telemedicine network alongside multiple standalone clinics in Florida and Georgia.
HealthyMD continues to work toward its goal of saving 1 million lives through its services. The testing initiative seeks to impact the Georgia community, spreading awareness while providing care for those most vulnerable to contracting sexually transmitted infections and HIV and AIDS.
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