Tufts' many health organizations are teaming up this week to raise awareness about AIDS, holding events that will culminate in the formation of a human AIDS ribbon on the library patio on Saturday.
This event will coincide with World AIDS Day, which the World Health Organization started in 1988 in order to underscore the severity of the AIDS epidemic.
Over 42 million people in the world have AIDS and over 14,000 were likely infected today alone, according to senior Andrea Northup, the president of Public Health at Tufts (PHAT). "Three times all the undergrads at Tufts were just infected today," she said. "The scope is pretty staggering."
Along with specific events, "all throughout the week we've all been trying to get out flyers and get the word out," Northup said.
The Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) started their work Monday, posting facts about AIDS around campus, which appear to be well-received. "I've heard people have noticed them," said senior Erica Popovsky, PHR's HIV/AIDS coordinator.
Groups have also been trading off usage of a table in the campus center. "Different groups are doing things to raise awareness," said sophomore Nadine Kesten, PHAT's volunteer coordinator.
As the majority of the world's AIDS cases are in Africa, many of the events are focused on the continent. "That's where a majority of the epidemic is focused," Northup said. "We kind of tried to mirror that."
The Tufts HIV/AIDS Collaborative and Voices for Choice split the table time on Tuesday.
Yesterday, PHR held a call-in and postcard signing in the campus center to support the African Health Capacity Investment Act, which is currently in Congress.
This act supports the strengthening of health systems in sub-Saharan Africa by providing hundreds of millions of dollars of aid throughout the next three years. This money would train health professionals, provide them with financial incentives to enter and stay in their fields, and invest in other public health initiatives.
"We're really hoping that it will pass because it provides a lot of needed assistance," Popovsky said.
Fifty-five students called their congressmen to ask them to support the bill. "A lot of people came up to the table and volunteered ... without us asking," she said.
PHR will hold another call-in at the campus center tomorrow between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
PHAT is tabling today, giving out lollipops with facts about AIDS attached and selling t-shirts for the Ubuntu Education Fund, which works to stop the AIDS epidemic in South Africa, according to Kesten.
Other events throughout the week include a screening of "Rent" tonight and cannon painting Friday night.
On World AIDS Day, all the groups involved will together and, with other students, form a giant AIDS ribbon on the library patio.
Students are also encouraged to wear red on Saturday. "That's just a little thing that any student on campus can do to show their support," Northup said.
PHR, PHAT, the Leonard Carmichael Society, the Pre-Med Society, the HIV/AIDS Collaborative and Voices for Choice have been working together for about a month to collaborate on this week's events.
So far, Northup is pleased with the response from students. "People have been generally supportive," she said.
Several events are also taking place in Boston this week. "We're really lucky to be at a place where people care about this issue," Northup said.
