HIV+Hep applauds release of Draft HIV National Strategic Plan
Press Release
December 1, 2020
Encourages Public Comment & Full Implementation
Washington DC… The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute applauds the release today on World AIDS Day of the draft HIV National Strategic Plan: A Roadmap to End the Epidemic by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This National Plan, which will run for the years 2021-2025, builds upon the first plan released in 2010 and updated in 2015. It acknowledges the scientific and implementation progress made across the nation in the last several years, including the advent of Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE).
The National Strategy will act as a blueprint to assist agencies across the federal government in reaching the bold targets including decreasing new HIV infections 75 percent by 2025 and 90 percent by 2030. The Strategy’s goals of reducing new infections, improving health outcomes, reducing disparities, and improving coordination all remain the same. The core indicators remain much the same, although the targets are more ambitious. Additionally, one has been added regarding the uptake of PrEP, another on stigma, and others to address disparities stratified by priority populations.
“I am very pleased that the draft HIV National Strategic Plan includes more ambitious targets and indicators than ever before,” said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. “It is also reassuring to see an emphasis on the integration of efforts related to the syndemics of viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, substance use, and mental health along with a focus on stigma and discrimination and the social determinants of health.”
Schmid added, “In order to fully implement the National Plan and achieve its goals, we must have a government that prioritizes HIV and a Congress that fully funds HIV and related programs, including the second year of the EHE initiative, which is currently pending before the Congress.”
HIV+Hep looks forward to providing comments on the draft National Plan, which are due December 14th, and working with the entire HIV community and federal agencies across the government in realizing the goal of ending HIV.
Jennifer Burke
jburke@hivhep.org
(301) 801-9847
jburke@hivhep.org
(301) 801-9847