Native Americans in Wyoming have high numbers of HIV/AIDs cases

In recent years, the number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in American rose more among Native Americans than any other ethnic population .

Native Americans make up one percent of the caseloads nationally, but in Wyoming, they make up four times the national average.

Robert Foley is President of the National Native American Aids Prevention Center. He worries that dealing with the epidemic in states like Wyoming where the general population is small, could be a huge obstacle in the future.

"That itself, can actually be an obstacle because unfortunately in a time when money and resources and dollars are allocated based upon a perceived burden of the epidemic. Those states, like Wyoming, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Montana – are facing significant budget cuts."

The Wyoming Department of Health lost 17-thousand dollars in funding this year from the CDC for HIV prevention. And according to the Department – African Americans have the highest rate of HIV in Wyoming, followed by Native Americans, Hispanics and finally, Caucasians.