The world's largest AIDS conference wrapped up Friday in Washington D.C. The International AIDS 2012 Conference was held from July 22 to July 27.
Members of Charlottesville's Aids Services Group (ASG) were among the more than 20,000 on hand to discuss with scientists, doctors, people living with HIV and policymakers how to stop the spread of, and eventually prevent, the disease.
They say the best way of accomplishing those goals is to reduce the transmission of HIV and AIDS, increase access to medications, and to reduce health care disparities.
ASG Executive Director Peter Demartino said, "It's kind of odd to say that in Charlottesville, which is sort of this bastion of hope in Virginia, but it's amazing to recognize that there is this undercurrent of institutional racism, poverty, homophobia, and sexism that is really driving this epidemic."
ASG says nearly 5,000 Virginians have HIV and don't even know it. It hopes gaining this national and international network of support will help combat the disease.
