The latest HIV Surveillance Annual Report from New York City reveals a troubling increase in HIV diagnoses, coinciding with significant concerns over potential federal funding cuts. In 2024, the city recorded 1,791 new HIV diagnoses, marking a 5.4% rise compared to 2023. This uptick poses challenges for health officials striving to combat the epidemic.
On Staten Island, health authorities documented 39 new HIV cases in 2024. Currently, there are 2,608 borough residents living with HIV, along with 44 HIV-related deaths in the same year. The report highlights persistent racial and ethnic disparities in HIV diagnoses, which officials attribute to various systemic factors, including structural racism, poverty, and inadequate access to healthcare, as noted in a press release from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The demographic data indicates that approximately 86% of those newly diagnosed with HIV in 2024 identify as Black or Latino/Latina. These figures come at a critical juncture, as federal funding for HIV prevention is under threat. The federal government has proposed eliminating the entire Division of HIV Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which would result in a loss of $755 million in funding for HIV prevention initiatives.
If these cuts are implemented, New York City’s health department could see its funding reduced by over $41 million. City officials emphasize that these funds are crucial for identifying newly diagnosed individuals, connecting them to necessary treatment, and providing essential partner services.
Despite significant progress over the past 25 years, the report indicates that advancements in reducing new HIV diagnoses have stagnated. Data shows a more than 70% decline in new cases since 2001 across the five boroughs. Nonetheless, city health experts express concern that new diagnoses have either increased or remained stable for four consecutive years.
Dr. Michelle Morse, Acting Health Commissioner, stated, “In the last three decades, we’ve made immense progress toward ending the HIV epidemic in New York City. Yet this progress has stalled as new diagnoses have increased or remained stable for the fourth year in a row.” The combination of rising diagnoses and potential funding cuts presents a formidable challenge for health authorities as they work to address the ongoing HIV epidemic in the city.
