Funding cuts could close an East Texas clinic. The HIV/AIDS clinic in Tyler is losing almost half of its funding. The clinic provides early access to help manage medical care for more than 100 East Texas patients with HIV or AIDS.
“Without the clinic there is no managed care even though the patients will take medication there will not be anyone to manage the side affects and make adjustments. People decline very fast, the patient decline very fast without managed care,” says Bob Westbrook, board chairman of the Northeast Texas Public District.
Westbrook says the health district will be looking to state, federal or private donations to keep the clinic open.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, June 23, 2006.