Hundreds Will Convene in Washington, DC, To Demand Protections of CDC HIV Prevention Funding and Other Critical Health Services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Washington, DC, December 13, 2024] – Public health advocates are issuing an urgent call to action as cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) remove HIV prevention funding across the country. These cuts will dismantle critical services, reverse decades of bipartisan progress, and disproportionately harm Southern states, where HIV rates are highest, and healthcare systems are already strained.
Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC) will be at AIDSWatch on March 31–April 2, joining more than 500 advocates from across the country to demand that lawmakers protect HIV prevention funding and critical public health infrastructure. AIDSWatch, which is organized by AIDS United, the largest annual HIV advocacy event in the U.S., provides an opportunity for individuals and organizations to meet directly with policymakers, share lived experiences, and fight for policies that support the health and well-being of communities affected by HIV. SAC’s presence ensures that the unique challenges of the South remain a focal point in national discussions about HIV policy and funding.
Southern AIDS Coalition was founded in 2001 by Southern advocates working together to demand more resources to address the HIV and AIDS state of emergency in our states. The coalition assembled many case studies and released the first-ever Southern States Manifesto in 2002. These case studies were presented nationwide, garnering national attention from the media, funders, and policymakers. SAC continued that tradition by releasing the Fourth Edition of the Southern States Manifesto in December 2024: https://southernaidscoalition.org/southern-manifesto/.
“Southern AIDS Coalition was founded to sound the alarm for southern communities, and to demand an equitable allocation of federal resources for HIV services in our region. Our success in making that a reality was driven by bipartisan commitment. A bipartisan recommitment is necessary at this moment as we face a dismantling of public health that will roll back decades of progress, resulting in tens of thousands of preventable new HIV transmissions and thousands of deaths. Southern communities are already disproportionately impacted by HIV and now face the annihilation of a fragile regional healthcare infrastructure. Our communities will pay the price. Our friends and family will pay the price. We will all pay the price, so we will make our message clear to our elected leaders. We will not be silenced.”
Southern states heavily rely on CDC funding to offset healthcare and prevention costs. Without this support, states will face higher financial burdens—HIV treatment costs an average of $500,000 per person over a lifetime—and overwhelmed clinics. Already fragile healthcare systems, facing Medicaid cuts, rural hospital closures, and workforce shortages, will be further strained, placing lives at risk.
Key facts:
- 52% of new HIV diagnoses occur in the South, making the region a critical focus for prevention efforts.
- Cuts will shutter rural clinics, already struggling due to hospital closures, eliminate syringe exchange programs, and limit outreach to unhoused populations.
- Every dollar spent on HIV prevention saves taxpayers $7 in long-term healthcare costs
Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Will Ramirez, says, “According to research, lifetime costs for a person diagnosed with HIV are an average of $500,000. These costs are a burden not only on healthcare systems but also on taxpayers. Every dollar invested in HIV prevention saves almost $7 in long-term healthcare costs, making prevention a moral imperative and a sound financial investment. Cutting HIV prevention funding now will lead to skyrocketing costs later, and the South, where rates are highest, will bear the heaviest burden.”
Southern AIDS Coalition is urging lawmakers to restore and protect HIV prevention funding. Advocates at AIDSWatch will call on Congress to uphold America’s bipartisan pledge to end HIV by 2030. The South cannot afford to lose rural clinics, mobile testing units, or prevention programs that save lives.
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For media inquiries and further information, please contact:
Torrie Shepard
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About the Southern AIDS Coalition: The Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC) is a non-partisan coalition of government, community, and business leaders working alongside thousands of people living with HIV and our allies to end the HIV epidemic in the South. We do this through public health advocacy; capacity building assistance; PLHIV leadership development; research and evaluation; and strategic grantmaking. To learn more or to join us, visit www.southernaidscoalition.org.
