April 1, 2004 – The Virgin Islands has been awarded a grant of $976,601 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help provide medical care, support services and prescription drugs for people in the territory with HIV/AIDS.
The grant was announced on Thursday by the federal department. It is intended to help ensure "that Virgin Islands residents living with AIDS can get the care and services they need to stay healthy longer," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said in a release.
The money awarded to the territory is part of more than a billion dollars in federal funds granted to the states and territories for HIV/AIDS support. The overall funding consists of $285 million in awards based on the number of people with AIDS living in each jurisdiction and $728 million for the purchase of medications through AIDS drug-assistance programs run by the jurisdictions.
The grants are funded under the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, the release noted.
Last month, $595 million was awarded under the CARE Act to the 51 U.S. metropolitan areas with the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS. The only such jurisdiction not on the mainland was San Juan, P.R. For the list of the areas, see "HHS awards $595 million for AIDS care in major urban areas"
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