AHF Demands LA County Step Up to Stem STIs

Advocates to protest and march Tuesday, June 6^th after seeing five years of inaction in helping stop the spread of sexually transmitted infections

Rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have continued to increase sharply over the past three years, including in Los Angeles County, and AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV healthcare provider, will host a protest and march calling on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the County Board of Supervisors to increase efforts, including allocating more funding, to fight skyrocketing rates.

According to the CDC, “Reported cases of the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis all increased between 2020 and 2021 – reaching a total of more than 2.5 million reported cases – according to CDC’s final surveillance data.” The CDC also noted, “To reverse this trend, CDC is calling for more groups from local, healthcare, industry, and public health sectors to contribute to STI prevention and innovation efforts.”

“A recent review of five years of history of the Board of Supervisors and the County’s Department of Public Health found that they have repeatedly said they will seriously address STIs. However, no new funding has come into the County as STI rates continue to climb,” said Alex Goncalves, Senior Director, AHF’s Public Health Division. “So, we will protest, march, and speak out to demand stepped up action on STIs, be it pulling money from other budgets to support STIs or lobbying the Federal government for more funding. Five years of unmet promises is too long for the County to say they will do more for STIs while nothing changes.”

AHF’s Public Health Division created a one-sheet reference guide on the Board of Supervisors and L.A. County’s Department of Public Health’s actions on STIs. The document covers November 2017 through May 2023. To view AHF’s “STI Action Timeline” click here.

About AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 1.75 million individuals in 45 countries in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, visit us online at AIDShealth.org, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to our Ahfter Hours podcast.

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We need stepped up action on STIs, be it pulling money from other budgets to support STIs or lobbying the Federal gov't for more funding. Five years of unmet promises is too long for L.A. County to say they will do more on STIs while nothing changes.