At least 76 HIV/AIDS patients in Georgia already have signed up for a waiting list for a drug assistance program, two weeks after enrollment closed because of insufficient funding.
“It’s an immediate impact,” said Lola Thomas, executive director of the AIDS Alliance of Northwest Georgia in Cartersville. “The numbers continue to increase of people needing assistance (through) the program.”
Unable to keep up with rising demand, Georgia has closed new enrollment to the federal-state AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which provides HIV/AIDS medications for low-income people.
People who currently are in the program will not lose their benefits, so long as they regularly pick up their medications and re-qualify every six months, advocates say.
The Georgia program’s waiting list could reach 1,300 people this year, with a projected 125 added monthly, if more funding doesn’t help expand it, state health officials said.