Expressing support for the designation of September 9 as "National African Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Awareness Day" or "NAIRHHA Day".
H. Res. 693 is a House Resolution introduced to express congressional support for designating September 9 as “National African Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Awareness Day” (NAIRHHA Day). The resolution highlights the rapid growth of the African immigrant population in the United States and their disproportionate burden of HIV and hepatitis B/C, noting gaps in awareness, prevention, testing, and access to culturally appropriate care. It calls for attention to the unique needs of African immigrant and refugee communities through education, stigma reduction, better screening and vaccination, and policies that improve linkage to treatment. As a non-binding measure, it does not create new programs or allocate funds but signals support for targeted awareness and health equity efforts. Sponsor information indicated in the text includes Mr. Johnson of Georgia (for himself and Ms. Velázquez) and the bill was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The resolution aims to elevate attention to HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis within African immigrant and refugee populations and encourages broader commitment to prevention, testing, vaccination, and care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate.
Key Points
- 1Designation: Designates September 9 as “National African Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Awareness Day” (NAIRHHA Day).
- 2Demographic and health context: Emphasizes the rapid growth of African immigrants in the U.S. and their higher HIV infection rates and hepatitis B prevalence compared with the general population.
- 3Culturally appropriate care: Stresses the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) and addresses barriers such as stigma, language, fear, immigration status, and limited health insurance.
- 4Objectives of NAIRHHA Day:
- 5- (1) raise awareness and reduce stigma;
- 6- (2) educate about HIV, viral hepatitis, and related diseases, promote screenings and treatment, and encourage hepatitis B vaccination during outreach;
- 7- (3) advocate for policies and practices that support healthy African immigrant communities.
- 8Data and outreach considerations: Highlights that African immigrants are often misclassified in HIV surveillance data and stresses targeted outreach and capacity-building to empower communities to manage their health.