HIV and AIDS healthcare workers are uncertain about what the future holds in light of continuous federal funding cuts to programs in Southern Arizona.
HIV and AIDS care centers have had to readjust their treatment approach since the cuts took place in May.
In particular, organizations like El Rio Health, Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and the University of Arizona Petersen HIV Clinic have lost up to 40% of the Ryan White Program Part B funds, allocated by the federal government for state-level HIV/AIDS treatment.
The Ryan White Program is the largest federally funded program for HIV/AIDS care in the U.S.. Prior to the cuts, Arizona received $25.8 million from the program, which primarily serves low-income people who don’t have health insurance, or whose insurance isn’t sufficient enough to cover treatment costs.
In 2023, it served 576,040 clients living with the infection with 59.7% of people falling at or below 100% of the federal poverty level.
“There’s just been a lot of uncertainty with grant funding right now and we’re still waiting to find out what our current status is,” said Dr. Danielle DeMontigny Avila, principal investigator of UA Petersen HIV Clinic and Pacific AIDS Education Training Center.
Under the Ryan White Program, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program uses federal funds to provide antiretroviral medications for low income people living with HIV that lack proper health insurance.
A primary concern amongst HIV healthcare workers is low-income patients losing access to medications.
“The implications of cuts to HIV awareness programs, HIV testing and HIV prevention programs like PrEP and PEP are scary, especially among folks with lower-income and who are part of vulnerable populations,” Scott Blades, executive director of Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network, said in an email interview.
TIHAN serves about 400 seniors, mostly over the age of 50, living with HIV/AIDS in Tucson. TIHAN does not receive federal funding to support its services, but the majority of its CarePartners (clients) live under 200% of the federal poverty level and rely on other government assisted programs, like disability income and food aid, that have been cut under the Trump administration.
The funding cuts have forced numerous HIV/AIDS treatment centers in Southern Arizona to readjust their programs and rely on others for additional assistance during this time of unpredictability.
El Rio Health serves 1,700 people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Arizona, making it the largest provider, it, too, has had to rely on other organizations to make ends meet.
“We have had to streamline some of our services, relying on the larger organization as a whole to help support services to our patients,” El Rio’s medical director, Dr. Sudha Nagalingam said in an email interview.
El Rio remains hopeful that they can continue to provide high quality treatment to their patients through collaboration with others in the community.
Although the future of HIV and AIDS care is uncertain under this administration, healthcare workers are optimistic.
“The pendulum will swing back towards compassion and empathy in our society,” Blades said, “hopefully before too much more damage is being done.”
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism
