HHS EHE Leaders Reflect on 2023 and Look Ahead to 2024
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As the new year began, HIV.gov asked HHS leaders and others to reflect on the progress achieved by the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative and to look ahead to what 2024 will bring. Here’s what they shared (in alpha order by affiliation):
CDC
“The HIV community should be proud that incidence is down by 12% over the past few years, resulting in thousands of fewer people having HIV. PrEP use has increased, now reaching about a third of people who are eligible but associated with widening disparities in access. CDC continues to expand PrEP use in communities, including by increasing funding for STI and other clinics to deliver PrEP as part of comprehensive sexual health services and expanding campaigns that reach Black women. The campaign, #ShesWell, showed increases in a range of outcomes, including PrEP knowledge and awareness among women and providers. In 2024, we will strengthen partnerships to use innovative whole-person approaches that address factors causing health inequities and ensure powerful HIV prevention tools get into the hands of every person who needs them.”
—RADM Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, Director,
National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, CDC
HRSA
“It has been exciting to see a year of progress in our HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative efforts with over 37,000 people with HIV newly engaged or estimated to be re-engaged in HIV care and treatment. In 2024, I look forward to continuing expanding efforts to ensure people with HIV have the care and treatment services they need to stay in care and reach viral suppression.”
—Laura Cheever, MD, ScM,
Associate Administrator for the HIV/AIDS Bureau, HRSA
“In 2023, we honored eight health centers that received EHE Primary Care HIV Prevention funding with the HIV Prevention and Care National Quality Leader badge as a way to celebrate their successful efforts to expand access to HIV services in their community. We look forward to supporting health centers in 2024 as they continue providing critical HIV prevention and treatment services for health center patients.”
—Jim Macrae, MA, MPP,
Associate Administrator for the Bureau of Primary Health Care, HRSA
IHS
“The Indian Health Service has many things for which to be grateful in 2023. I’m most proud of our shared IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health EHE accomplishment, which includes serving over 900 patients—over half of the American Indian and Alaska Native persons living with HIV nationwide. Also, through our tribal partners, via Indian County ECHOExit Disclaimer, we conducted 26 ECHO clinics each month, recruited over 1,412 clinical sites, provided treatment recommendations for 1,600 patients, hosted 40 virtual and in-person trainings, trained over 2,749 providers from Indian Country, and supported 824 virtual ECHO sessions with approximately 40,188 total participants. In 2024, I look forward to advancing EHE through training dozens of AI/AN HIV Peer Educators to help navigate HIV care, PrEP services, and syphilis testing and care.”
—Rick Haverkate, MPH, Branch Chief, HIV/HCV/STI Branch,
Office of Clinical & Preventive Services, IHS
NIH
“Under EHE, NIH supports research to identify and address barriers to uptake of HIV testing, prevention and treatment services, with a goal of enabling equitable health outcomes in the communities most affected by HIV today. A key strength of this work is our strong collaborations between academic researchers, implementing partners, and community members, which result in locally led design and implementation of interventions that are practical, evidence-based, and desired by those who stand to benefit most from them. We will continue to share key findings with our federal partners so that EHE keeps growing even more inclusive, effective, and sustainable.”
—Carl Dieffenbach, PhD, Director, Division of AIDS,
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH
OIDP/OASH
“In the last year, I was proud of the enhanced coordination and collaboration of the EHE initiative at the national, regional, state, and local levels to facilitate a syndemic and holistic response for communities disproportionately impacted with HIV. In 2024, I look forward to advancing EHE by strengthening strategic partnerships with the community to implement and expand innovations to mitigate health disparities and address inequities in health outcomes for priority communities.”
—CAPT John Oguntomilade, PhD, EHE Coordination Lead,
Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy, HHS
PACHA
The co-chairs of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) also shared their observations:
“There have been monumental successes over the last year with the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative in some geographic areas across the United States. Our challenge ahead is to ensure these same successes happen for all people in all communities.”
—Marlene McNeese, Co-chair, PACHA
“This past year, I was proud of the overall progress our nation continues to make in reducing the number of new HIV infections. In 2024, I look forward to advancing EHE through ensuring no individual, group, or community is left behind and that our HIV prevention and treatment national progress becomes more equitable.”
—Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, PhD, MPH, RN, Co-chair, PACHA
The EHE initiative continues to support innovative approaches to expanding HIV awareness, testing, prevention, and care and treatment in the communities most affected. With the continued dedication and support of local, state, and federal partners further progress toward the goal of ending the HIV epidemic in the United States can be achieved in 2024.