Gynecological services brought to D.A.P. female clients
with help from 100 WOMEN major donors

(PALM SPRINGS, CA – December 14, 2009)

Since women living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, are at a higher risk of cervical cancer and other conditions, Desert AIDS Project has added the services of two new consulting physicians, Dr. Vickie Mabry-Height and Dr. S. Ava Mahapatra, to its staff.

In addition to being board certified as a physician with a specialty in internal medicine, Dr. Mabry-Height holds a Masters in Public Health degree from UCLA and has worked for many years with HIV/AIDS patients. She is contracted to work one day a month at D.A.P., providing breast exams and general gynecological services, including Pap tests, for all female D.A.P. clients.

Any clients needing more specific gynecological services will be referred to Dr. Mahapatra, who will hold office hours at Desert AIDS Project on an as-needed basis. Operating a gynecology-obstetrics practice in Palm Springs for many years, Dr. Mahapatra’s primary practice is located at Desert Regional Medical Center. She is also affiliated with JFK and Eisenhower Memorial Hospitals. She is also a long-standing member in D.A.P.’s major donor group, 100 WOMEN, which provided funding to renovate the female clients’ exam room as well as a portion of Dr. Mabry-Height’s salary. 100 WOMEN is dedicated to the health and well-being of women and children in our community affected by HIV/AIDS.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all HIV positive women get an initial Pap test and be re-tested six months later. D.A.P. began providing gynecological services in December, which is known nationally as AIDS Awareness Month, with Dr. Mabry-Height already seeing several female clients to provide the first of these Pap tests.

The Pap test, also called a Pap smear, checks for changes in the cells of the cervix, to help reveal infection, abnormal or unhealthy cervical cells, or cervical cancer. If caught early, the chance of curing cervical cancer is very high. Treatment can prevent most cases of cervical cancer from developing. Even if both the initial Pap and six-month-subsequent Pap tests reveal nothing abnormal, D.A.P.’s female clients will be advised to get yearly Pap tests in the future.

Desert AIDS Project is the organization in our community where people living with HIV and AIDS can receive comprehensive support, including medical care, case management, and social services. D.A.P. also offers free and confidential HIV testing at a number of locations throughout the communities it serves. For more information call 760-323-2118.