INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has authorized a short-term needle exchange program to help contain an outbreak of HIV in a county with 79 confirmed new infections since January.
Pence on Thursday declared a public health emergency in Scott County, about 30 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky. He ordered the state health department to set up a command center to coordinate HIV and substance abuse treatment and establish a mobile unit to enroll people in a state-run health program.
Indiana bars needle exchange programs, but Pence authorized a short-term exchange on the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health officials.
The state has launched a public awareness campaign to focus on drug treatment, infection prevention, safe sex, needle disposal and HIV testing and treatment.
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We in Indiana have become accustomed to seeing Mike Pence doing his ultra-conservative ‘thing’ to the detriment of the State, its reputation, etc. This is one of the few times that he actually did something positive for the people of this State, as opposed to signing that noxious & nefarious Religious Freedom statute. By the way, the putz who sponsored that bill in the State Senate (& who represents me, unfortunately), is a right-wingnut whose main purpose in state govt is to advance a far-right social agenda,. He sponsored a bill, which passed, terminating funding for Planned Parenthood a couple years ago, was warned IN ADVANCE that it would be found wanting by the Courts, that Indiana’s AG (almost as far right) would unsuccessfully defend that statute - he did & he lost. Oh yeah, he can’t be a putz - a putz has a working head!