Vans Take HIV Tests to Neighborhood Spots

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/nyregion/westchester/11testswe.html

Westchester NY has one of the highest HIV rates in NY state outside of New York City itself. In attempts to prevent the spread of this disease, mobile health vans are travelling throughout the county to administer tests to the people living in the area in order to educate them about the disease and alert them if they are positive.
Many people in this area either do not have access to health care, are uneducated about the importance of these tests, or fear going to the doctor. Therefore, this program will help provide better care for these people and protect them from exposure to the disease.
I think that this is a good effort because it tries to provide vital healthcare for all, and the goal of this program is ultimately to educate people about HIV and prevent the spread of disease. Although this effort is kind-hearted and would be very beneficial, it would be very difficult for health care officials to appply it to a larger scale. The most important aspect of this practice is the education it will provide for the citizens. If we are able to initiate health care and show its importance, then these residents will learn to take care of themselves and protect themselves, therefore creating a healthier society.
I think this article was written to persuade the general public that the efforts of this program are essential to protecting residents and that it needs to be supported. Although unintentional, the author's personal biases somewhat resonated throughout this piece as he simply praised the efforts of this group and inspired the audience to accept it as a good idea/practice.