CDC Foundation Gets $50K For #EndHIV Initiative, World AIDS Day

ATLANTA, GA — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Foundation received a $50,000 donation from Walgreens to help fund priority areas of need, such as innovative models of care and rural access to treatment. The proposed national initiative, “Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America,” aims to eliminate the sexually transmitted disease by 2030 in the U.S. The funding announcement for the Foundation was made on World AIDS Day. This year’s theme is “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Community by Community” with #EndHIV.

"Walgreens pharmacists were among the first to help AIDS patients ease their suffering in the early stages of the crisis," said Glen Pietrandoni, senior director, patient care and advocacy at Walgreens in a news release. "Today, with more than 3,000 HIV-trained pharmacists in communities across the nation who help patients with prevention and treatment, we're proud to support this initiative to help eliminate the virus in this country."

ATLANTA

In Georgia, the state ranked in the Top 10 for new HIV diagnosis in 2018. According to Emory University, some areas in Atlanta have rates of HIV/AIDS that are six- to eight-times higher than the national average.

The reasons have more to do with poverty, lack of insurance, and stigma than with sexual practices. The high rates of HIV/AIDS are mostly confined to a specific group—young, black men who have sex with men. In fact, AIDS is the leading cause of death for black men in Georgia between the ages of 35 and 44.

These men don’t have more partners or indulge in riskier sexual behaviors than their white counterparts, according to studies at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health. But they are more disadvantaged. They often lack insurance. They may not have transportation, so getting to a clinic can be a challenge.

Atlanta’s HIV problem is being called an epidemic.

WSB-TV reporter Dave Huddleston interviewed researchers and doctors who told him that the city is the epicenter of that epidemic and comparing some neighborhoods to developing African countries.

“Downtown Atlanta is as bad as Zimbabwe or Harare or Durban," Dr. Carlos del Rio, co-director of Emory University's Center for AIDS Research tells Huddleston.

Del Rio said the disease shifted from one that mainly affected gay men and drug users in the late '80s to a disease that now affects just about every population, but in particular African-Americans with limited access to health care.

THE INITIATIVE

According to CDC, more than 1.1 million Americans have HIV, and many more are at risk. Led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the “Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative” will initially focus on 48 counties, including Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett; along with Washington, DC, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. That's where half of HIV diagnoses occur annually. It'll also target a total of seven states that have a substantial rural HIV burden. A full list of states and counties can be found online.

The initiative aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections by 75 percent within five years and by at least 90 percent within 10 years.

The Foundation will use the funds to mobilize financial resources to accelerate and extend the CDC’s work by providing flexible support to fill gaps and provide immediate resources to address the greatest needs.

The CDC Foundation's Ending the HIV Epidemic Fund will support priority areas of need, such as:

• Digital education strategy and campaign: Developing a national strategy to reach people most at risk for HIV by utilizing digital platforms, coordinating with state and local partners for maximum impact.
• Innovative models of community care: Designing disruptive innovation that delivers comprehensive, evidence-based prevention, care and treatment services.
• Rural access to care and treatment: Providing high-impact and high-priority treatment and care in rural communities, utilizing readily accessible services and technologies, such as community-based pharmacies and telemedicine.

"On World AIDS day, we are excited to announce this lead gift from Walgreens, which we hope will serve as a catalytic donation to encourage others to step forward and support this critical initiative," said Judith Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. "The HIV epidemic has taken hundreds of thousands of lives in this country, and we now have an opportunity to stop the epidemic in its tracks. We must seize this opportunity by working together across all sectors to meet this challenge."

The CDC Foundation is seeking other funding partners to support this initiative to end HIV in the U.S. by 2030.

Everyone can help end HIV. The CDC recommends some important tips.

In the United States, healthcare providers can:

• Routinely provide HIV testing to all people aged 13 to 64, according to CDC guidelines. Provide HIV treatment as soon as possible after an HIV diagnoses.
• Prescribe PrEP for people who at risk for getting HIV from sex or injection drug use.

Government agencies and nonprofit organizations can:

• Expand access to HIV testing, including use of self-care kits.
• Improve HIV treatment by strengthening HIV care and support networks.
• Promote PrEP in communities and to the populations that need it the most.

Everyone can:

• Learn more about HIV
• Talk about HIV, including treatment as prevention, to help reduce stigma.
• Stay healthy by talking to your health care provider and taking daily HIV medicine to prevent or treat HIV, if advised.