HHS awards $2.27 billion grants to help Americans access HIV/AIDS care and meds

The US Department of Health and Human Services on Friday announced approximately $2.27 billion in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grants were awarded to cities, counties, states, and local community-based organizations in fiscal year (FY) 2019.

This funding, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), supports a comprehensive system of HIV primary medical care, medication, and essential support services to more than half a million people with HIV in the USA.

“The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program has played a major role in the in the improved outcomes we see for Americans with HIV,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar, explaining: “Thanks to expanded access to treatment and medical advances, HIV/AIDS has gone from being a likely death sentence to a condition that allows a nearly normal lifespan if properly treated. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clients, despite often very challenging circumstances, have a viral suppression rate that far exceeds the national average.”