Uninsured AIDS patients are in danger of being turned away from the few free clincs in Dallas, according to Peabody Clinic director Dr. Keith Rawlings.
"Here in Dallas there are only a handful of clinicians that do HIV work." said Rawlings. "It's always been a small number, but they are becoming increasingly overwhelmed by the people needing to get access to services."
There are an estimated 20-thousand people living with AIDS in Dallas.
Three thousand of them get free care at the "AIDS Arms" funded Peabody clinic in Oak Cliff.
In order to keep up with the growing number of cases, AIDS Arms has undertaken a fundraising campaign aimed at building a new clinic.
Board member Mark Bunting said they have no other choice, "We don't have the staff or funding to take care of people coming through our doors."
AIDS Arms will have to raise the money amidst the public perception that AIDS is no longer a major public health threat.
The reality is that infection rates are climbing and people, especially the poor, are finding out far too late that they are among those who need the services of AIDS Arms.
