The first National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NNHAAD) will be observed on March 21, 2007. The purpose of NNHAAD is to build capacity and increase awareness, participation, and support for HIV prevention, testing, care, and treatment among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian populations.
The number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in the United States continues to decrease; however, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2005 HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, the Native American Indian population has the third highest rate of HIV/AIDS diagnoses per population size, behind African Americans and Hispanics.
To increase awareness of the spread of HIV/AIDS in Native communities, AIDSinfo has provided several links to information related to NNHAAD, including HIV/AIDS-related fact sheets and other resources about treatment, prevention, research, and statistical information for the American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities.