CDC Announces New Director of HIV / AIDS Prevention

Despite the present Withdrawal of government During the 2020 presidential election, the CDC’s National Center for HIV / AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) is new with Dr. Demetre Daskalakis as Director of the CDC’s HIV / AIDS Prevention Division. We are in the process of appointing. (DHAP) From December 21, 2020.

Dr. Daskalakis was essential to the design and guidance of many HIV and STD programs in New York City, including the Ending the Epidemic program, which allegedly reduced the incidence of HIV to historically low levels. Dr. Daskalakis brings this leadership and experience to the CDC to advance research, guide surveillance and programs, support and implement effective policies, and ultimately prevent HIV transmission and HIV-related health throughout the United States. Increase fairness.

Dr. Daskalakis began his career as an attending physician at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, leading several public health programs focused on community HIV testing and prevention. Since then, he has performed several duties in both healthcare and public health in New York.

Most recently, Dr. Daskalakis was Deputy Director of Disease Control at New York City Department of Health. He led the New York City Public Health Institute and all infectious disease control programs, including HIV, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, vaccine-preventable diseases, and common infectious diseases. In this position, he led one of the department’s largest divisions, hired more than 1,100 staff, managed a budget of more than $ 350 million, and operated 14 clinical facilities. In addition to his leadership in daily infectious disease control, he served as an incident commander for the New York City Department of Health during the 2018-2019 measles outbreak and the current COVID-19 Public Health Emergency since January 2020. I did.

Dr. Daskalakis has authored or co-authored more than 50 academic papers and has contributed to scientific and public health, including the Treatment Behavior Group Research Activity Award, the AIDS Esperanza Latin Committee Award, and the GMHC Hector Xtravagnza Xcellence. Has won the award. Awards and World AIDS Day Awards from both New York City and New York State.

Dr. Daskalakis is recognized at home and abroad as an HIV prevention expert and has devoted many careers to the treatment and prevention of HIV and other STIs as an activist focused on the LGBTQ community. He also spends a lot of time improving the health of poorly serviced communities and is passionate about working on health fairness.

“I’m still emotional about the early days of the AIDS epidemic, not because I’m sad, but because I can’t believe how different today’s story is,” Dr. Dascalakis said in a statement from the CDC. “We have the tools to prevent infection and keep people living with HIV healthy. Our barrier to achieving this vision is no longer science, but systematic racism and sexism. Discrimination, homophobia, transphobia. ”

Dr. Daskalakis addresses HIV stigma by facilitating the provision and programming of “status-neutral” services and improving the overall health and welfare of people who are infected or at risk of HIV. I am working on what to do. Major social determinants of health.. He also said that biomedical prevention options like PrEP are accessible and affordable to everyone who can benefit from them, and the importance of virus control as prevention is in public health, medicine, And showed that it is dedicated to ensuring that it is recognized by the entire community. ..

Dr. Irene Hall will continue to be DHAP Director until arrival on December 21st.