Health

As Federal Government Declines to Recognize World AIDS Day, Local Advocates Emphasize Importance of Research and Prevention

For the first time since 1988, the United States government is not publicly observing World AIDS Day.

Started by the World Health Organization as a way to honor individuals who died in the epidemic, World AIDS Day raises international awareness about the ongoing public health crisis. 

“I wasn’t shocked, I was disappointed,” said Dr. Maya Green, founder of Nexus Medical Care and a Cook County Health and Hospital Systems board member. “Historically, things like this, depending on who’s in power federally, these days will start to drop off. It’s the politics of memory. It’s to change the narrative.”

In Chicago alone, more than 22,000 people are living with HIV. 

Since President Donald Trump assumed office for the second time, the federal government has made major cuts and structural changes to both domestic and global HIV/AIDS funding, which the United Nations warns is causing significant global risk. Notably, PEPFAR, the U.S.’ international HIV/AIDS program, has been significantly wound down.

Fighting infectious diseases abroad is crucial to preventing infections from spreading domestically, said Dr. Aniruddha Hazra, an associate professor of medicine and the infectious disease fellowship program director at the University of Chicago. 

“Pathogens, infections, HIV and other emerging pathogens don’t have passports or observe borders,” said Hazra. “Ignoring an outbreak that might be emerging in another part of the world just because it’s not in our border yet is quite foolish.”

Hazra is one of many providers who are feeling the loss of millions of federal dollars promised to assist in things like HIV/AIDS research, the reduction of new infections and preventative care.

While rates of new HIV/AIDS infections are dropping, Latino men in Chicago and across the country make up the most recent uptick in new HIV cases in the past decade. 

Manuel Hernandez, executive director of ALMA Chicago, attributes that statistic to factors like immigration status, language barriers and cultural stigmas that deter community members from seeking health care.

Aside from federal funding cuts, another fear has been plaguing many predominantly-Latino and immigrant communities: Operation Midway Blitz.

“Even if you are documented, there’s still the fear of being targeted,” said Hernandez. “Individuals are less likely to seek care, and so it’s also up to organizations on how to access individuals. We will see an impact on how ICE raids in the city affected how individuals engaged with healthcare professionals.”

Hernandez emphasizes that other compounding factors contribute to rising rates like age, education, housing and food insecurity.

“Even though we are seeing the cuts, the younger individuals are being creative,” said Hernandez. “How do we ensure that our communities have access to testing, to prevention, and to treatment?” 

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