American History

Over the last fifty years, the AIDS epidemic has spread to all regions in the United States of America. As is usual with most health problems in the society, various population groups are disproportionately affected by HIV. AIDS is more prevalent in low income and low literacy groups particularly African Americans and the Hispanics (Buchanan). For example, Southern States have the largest number of people living with AIDS (Buchanan). Since the people most affected by this epidemic cannot cover the cost of care needed to manage the condition, the government, community based organizations and the society as a whole has a moral responsibility of providing the love and care they need.

Definition of the Ryan White Act
The Ryan White act is named in honor of Ryan White, a hemophilic teenager from Indiana who contracted HIV after a 1984 transfusion with infected blood. Ryan was expelled from school and he became an inspirational advocate of AIDS awareness until he died in 1990 (Buchanan). The Ryan White Act established the largest program benefiting people living with HIV and AIDS and funded by the Federal Government of the United States (Crosse 2).

Objective of the Ryan White Act
Programs running on the Ryan Act differ from other federally funded healthcare initiatives in that they target a specific population without an alternative means of obtaining the care they need. It provides a variety of services as described below

Title I provides grants in the hardest hit metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia and New York to provide holistic care to the disproportional people infected with AIDS (Buchanan). Services provided include outpatient and care, housing and hospice care, nutrition and transportation.

Title II channels funds to states to cater for HIV testing, education and prevention. HIV medication and other health support services are also covered by these funds as are local agencies that research on the specific needs of HIV patients in the state and assist in service implementation (Buchanan).

Type IIIs specific objective is to provide timely intervention outpatient care for HIV positive people (Crosse 1). Health education, primary care and counseling services are provided to raise the quality of life for HIV patients.

Type IV targets impoverished children, women and families that have been directly or indirectly affected by AIDS, especially homeless people and those who have very limited access to housing and transport services (Crosse 2).

Other Programs
The Ryan Act establishes a number of other programs as follows
The Special Projects of National Significance, which caters for the needs of hard-to-reach and special groups like the homeless, adolescent and rural populations (Buchanan).

The AIDS Education and Training Center provides holistic care education to healthcare providers across the nation (Buchanan).

HIV and AIDS Dental Reimbursement allocates funds to assist dental schools to provide dental services to HIV infected people who lack health insurance and cannot afford dental care (Crosse 6).
AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) is dedicated to providing essential medications to HIV victims who are not insured and are unable to cover the enormous costs associated with anti-retroviral medications and therapies (Buchanan).

Conclusion
The Ryan White CARE Act is obviously a noble initiative and is an exhibition of how the fortunate in society can rise to the occasion and support the less fortunate. The Act has availed funds that comprehensively cover the care needed by HIV victims and has become a very effective tool in the fight against HIV in the country (Crosse 5). People with AIDS need love and affection and this investment goes a long way in showing that the wider society has a moral duty of helping those who cannot rescue themselves from their circumstances.