National AIDS Strategy 2020
The treatment and management of HIV and AIDS have altered the effect of the disease across the globe. Such interventions as antiretroviral drugs, the use of condoms, and the Pre and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PeP) have not only helped to minimize the rate of new infections but have also alleviate the burden of the disease on the affected people. The United States National Aids Strategy creates annual targets and plans of dealing with HIV/AIDS. While the program has failed to realize most of its initial targets, its operationalization has reduced the weight of HIV/AIDS in the U.S.
The national AIDS strategy has four primary priorities. These are established by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. The first target is to reduce the number of novel contagions across the country. The relevant actions to achieving this goal include increasing prevention interventions in communities facing a high risk of HIV/AIDS, employing such evidence-based strategies as PrEP to inhibit HIV/AIDS transmissions, and enhancing the education of the public on the risks, effects, and the spread of the disease. The indicators of success include a 25% decline in new diagnoses, improvement of HIV status awareness to 90%, and minimizing the number of young bisexual individuals indulging in risky behaviors to 10% (White House Office of National AIDS Policy, 2015). Identified actions include directing public funds based on the geographical and social burden of the epidemic, expanding access to the existing HIV prevention and management resources, and promoting age-appropriate education forums on STI prevention. In 2012, status awareness reached 87.2% to surpass the 86.1% target, indicating positive progress (White House Office of National AIDS Policy, 2015). However, not all goals were fully achieved, hence the need for more action.
The second priority of the national AIDS strategy is expanding access to quality care for HIV victims and improving their health outcomes. Relevant goals and actions include creating continuous transitions from diagnosis to care, increasing the number of culturally competent care providers, and implementing comprehensive patient-focused support services. Indicators of success include integrating a minimum of 85% of newly diagnosed patients into care programs, realize a 90% retention rate for those undergoing treatment, establishing 80% virally suppressed patients, and a 33% reduction in the number of HIV-related deaths. As of 2012, 72.6 % of newly infected people were linked to care compared to the 72.4% target, 33.8% of HIV patients were actively undergoing treatment, falling short of the projected 54.8%, and 50.1% were virally surprised, exceeding the expected 47.1% (White House Office of National AIDS Policy, 2015). These figures demonstrate the mixed national progress.
The third priority is to abate health disproportions and partialities contributed by HIV. Relevant goals and actions include reducing HIV-caused discriminations in communities with a high prevalence, adoption of structural interventions to reduce infections and enhance better health results in vulnerable areas, and minimize shame associated with HIV. Useful indicators include reducing inequalities in identifying new infections among minorities by 15% and increasing the number of virally suppressed young people using injectable drugs to 80%. In 2012, disparities in identifying new HIV cases among vulnerable populations increased, failing to meet established targets. Nevertheless, virally suppressed individuals using injectable substances accounted for 42.8%, exceeding the 41.9% target (White House Office of National AIDS Policy, 2015). Such mixed outcomes warrant a reevaluation of the strategy to identify active obstacles.
The national AIDS strategy also prioritizes the realization of a synchronized nationwide response to the disease. Relevant targets and actions include increasing collaboration between the national and local governments in executing HIV programs and the establishment of effective monitoring systems to inform on the progress. The outstanding achievements by 2015 include the creation of HIV Care Continuum Initiative strategies, the formation of the National Interagency Working Group on HIV, increased federal investment on HIV, which is currently in excess of $23 billion annually, and the continued advocacy across the country (White House Office of National AIDS Policy, 2015). Such developments are useful to the integrated management of the pandemic in the country.
The national AIDS strategy has advanced the efforts to address HIV in the U.S. While some of the established goals were not achieved by 2012 and 2015, the country made notable accomplishments, significantly reducing the burden of HIV. The four priorities of the initiative sufficiently cover the primary concerns of both the uninfected and infected people in society. The focus on enhancing access to prevention, testing, and management services will be influential in reducing new infections as well as enhancing the quality of health for HIV-positive individuals. However, the strategy should focus more efforts and resources to the grassroots. The lead mandate in the fight against HIV should be of the local government to overcome conservative perspectives that might hinder the people’s initiatives to seek care. For instance, the southern states have consistently demonstrated disparities in both prevention and access to care for minority groups (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d). Nevertheless, the national AIDS strategy is a commendable program that should be reviewed continually and adjusted to realize an HIV-free population.
While the U.S. AIDS strategy has failed to realize many of its initial targets, its implementation has minimized the influence of HIV/AIDS. The strategy’s four priorities include reducing new infections, enhancing care delivery, elimination of HIV-based discriminations, and achieving a coordinated national response plan. Each element has specific goals and targets, quantified through statistical indicators of progress. The effectiveness of the national AIDS plan can be improved by investing more in grassroots intervention through the state governments.
References
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). What is ending the HIV epidemic: A plan for America? Retrieved from https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/ending-the-hiv-epidemic/overview
White House Office of National AIDS Policy. (2015). National HIV/AIDS strategy for the United States: Updated to 2020, 1–58. Retrieved from https://files.hiv.gov/s3fs-public/nhas-update.pdf