Comment: Cuts to federal HIV funding amount to negligence
By Olusimbo Ige, Kiran Joshi and Sameer Vohra / For the Chicago Tribune
Thanks to decades of sustained federal investment, Chicago, Cook County and Illinois are on the cusp of ending the HIV epidemic in our city, county and state. This remarkable progress is a testament to programs such as the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, established in 1990 to provide crucial health care to those living with HIV and AIDS.
This critical federal legislation, named in honor of young AIDS activist Ryan White, marked a turning point in our fight against HIV. It wasn’t just a humanitarian response; it was sound public health policy. Within that decade, the spread of HIV, the progression of HIV to AIDS and the mortality rates due to AIDS all peaked and have been declining ever since.
Funding channeled through state and city agencies such as the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the Cook County Department of Pubic Health (CCDPH) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), alongside direct support to community organizations, made medical treatment and support services accessible, especially for low-income individuals.
Coupled with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant programs for monitoring, testing and prevention with lifesaving tools such as the prophylaxis medicines PrEP and Doxy PEP, we’ve built a robust system that works.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-cuts-to-federal-hiv-funding-amount-to-negligence/