CDC Sends $1.5M to DeKalb To Fight HIV

ATLANTA -- The CDC is giving DeKalb County $1.5 million to fight HIV. The grant was announced Thursday, and is coming from President Trump’s Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative, whose goal is to ,>reduce new HIV infections by 75% in the next five years and 90% in the next ten years. In 2017, Georgia had the second highest rate of new HIV diagnoses, and more than 58,700 people are currently living with HIV in the state.

DeKalb County is one of three pilot sites in the country serving as models for implementation of four strategies to end the HIV epidemic:

• Diagnose people with HIV as early as possible after infection,>
• Treat people with HIV with medication to keep them healthy and prevent transmission,>
• Protect at-risk populations from HIV infection ,>
• Respond rapidly and effectively to outbreaks of new HIV infections.,>

Beginning July 1, 2019 and over the next six months, DPH will work with the DeKalb Board of Public Health to expand HIV testing, link persons diagnosed HIV-positive to care, and retain them in care. The funding will also be used to promote the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) - a pill taken daily to block HIV - by Georgians at high risk of infection.
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"On behalf of DeKalb County, I would like to thank our federal, state, and local partners for securing this much-needed funding that will be used to combat the HIV epidemic,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. “We look forward to working together to end HIV once and for all."
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“This pilot in DeKalb County will serve as a model for expansion of these strategies into other parts of metro-Atlanta as additional funding becomes available,” said Dr. Kathleen E. Toomey, Department of Public Health commissioner. “Additionally, these life-saving efforts will guide our work throughout the state - particularly in rural areas - to ultimately end the HIV epidemic in Georgia.”