By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – You can just fill in the blank. The gulf in access to health care means Blacks are far more likely than whites to die of …

This time it’s HIV and AIDS, as lawmakers and supporters called for more funding to target Blacks who need to know how to stay healthy.

“The funding does not go to Black-led organizations to increase awareness and relativity to prevention,” said Creola Kizart Hampton, a Black healthcare advocate. “When this disease was at a high rate in the white community, there were billions – billions! – of dollars going for education, prevention, treatment. There were billboards! Many of those organizations are still getting that money today and piecemealing it out, now that the face of AIDS is primarily African-American.”

Blacks make up fourteen percent of the state’s population but roughly half of the state’s AIDS patients.

“Many of us are dying from AIDS, but we are dying from so many other illnesses because of the health disparities,” said State Rep. Camille Lilly (D-Chicago). “We don’t have education. We don’t have opportunity. We don’t have housing. We don’t have healthcare.”

Feb. 7 is Black HIV and AIDS Awareness Day.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]