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San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
AIDS/LifeCycle's final ride: Thousands hit road in Bay Area, ending 3 decades of fundraising
With a tinge of melancholy, more than 2,400 bicyclists gathered Sunday morning to kick off the last AIDS/LifeCycle, bringing to a close more than three decades of fundraising through the annual event for HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support services. Cyclists will travel 545 miles over seven days from the Cow Palace in Daly City to Santa Monica. 'We want to make HIV-AIDS a thing of the past,' said Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said Sunday before setting off for the first leg of the ride to Santa Cruz. 'I'm excited to suit up.' Each day, riders bike anywhere from 43 to 112 miles. Each cyclist raised at least $3,500 from friends, family and the community to support HIV and AIDS programs and services overseen by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. 'I can't think of a better way to honor those that we have lost and also to join the fight against HIV and AIDS,' said Brian Stewart, 32, a political strategist from Los Angeles readying for his inaugural ride. 'I'm really, really excited.' At least 800 volunteers known as 'roadies' turned out to help direct riders, provide medical services to the injured, serve meals and drive cyclists' gear from stop to stop. After the COVID shutdown in 2020, participation in the ride declined and the cost of fundraising rose, prompting organizers to end the annual event, which began in 1994. Over the years, the ride raised a total of more than $300 year, the ride raised $17.2 million, the highest total after 2022. 'Now more than ever, these funds are critical so we can respond to the needs of our communities, particularly when funding for HIV, DEI and transgender communities are under attack,' said Tyler TerMeer, CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, who has participated as a cyclist and organizer in the ride for 17 years. 'It's bittersweet that it's the last ride,' said Laura Chung, 39, a nurse at Kaiser Hospital embarking on her second ride. 'But they'll create something new.' Next year, a three-day cycling event will take riders from San Francisco to Sonoma and back. Then in 2027, the Big Gay 10K footrace will take place in San Francisco.
Bloomberg
15-05-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
Trump Funding Cuts Won't Sink HIV Program, South Africa Says
South Africa will ensure its HIV-AIDS treatment program doesn't collapse despite the withdrawal of support from the US, and 659 million rand ($36 million) has already been allocated to extend access to antiretroviral drugs, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said. South Africa has the world's biggest HIV epidemic and about 17% of the funding for its response has come from America's President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or Pepfar. President Donald Trump suspended that program in January, leaving a hole of 7.9 billion rand.
Business Wire
13-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Saint Francis Foundation Announces Additional $1.32 Million in Community Grants
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Saint Francis Foundation, an independent grant-making charitable foundation, has announced an additional $1.32 million in community grants to local nonprofits providing vital healthcare services to diverse and underserved communities in San Francisco. This new funding brings the Foundation's community grants total to $8.8 million to date. Our community partners are on the front lines in removing barriers to care, assessing social determinants of health, and improving patient access and outcomes. 'Our community partners are on the front lines in removing barriers to care, assessing social determinants of health, and improving patient access and outcomes,' said Saint Francis Foundation President Kate Smith. 'With the current political climate resulting in reductions to vital healthcare services, our community partners have sprung into action to identify gaps in maintaining their essential programming. Through the generosity and insights of our dedicated donors, the Foundation is in a unique position to help offset the impact of these federal actions.' The following grants will support direct patient care services and capital improvements to benefit San Francisco's most vulnerable residents. The grantees are: Larkin Street Youth Services ($325,000 for homeless youth) As the City's largest nonprofit provider for young people experiencing homelessness and other systemic health challenges, Larkin Street Youth Services addresses the social crises and chronic mental and physical health issues for more than 1,800 young people each year. This latest Foundation funding will support Larkin Street's comprehensive shelter program (operating more than 500 beds across 16+ sites), housing, and innovative workforce development and education programs for homeless youth. San Francisco Community Health Center ($325,000 for street medicine and trauma-informed care) With a mission to transform lives by advancing health, wellness, and equality, San Francisco Community Health Center attends to the health and wellness of diverse communities through comprehensive medical, dental, and mental health services. This grant will sustain and strengthen SFCHC's proven street medicine model, which improves quality and health outcomes for more than 200 unhoused Tenderloin residents by delivering low-barrier, trauma-informed care directly where they live. Hyde Street Community Services ($250,000 for intense case management) Hyde Street Community Services provides comprehensive psychiatric, medical, substance abuse and case management services to more than 600 San Francisco residents each year. This Foundation funding will support the HSCS intense case management program, which provides direct interventions to address housing, psych medications and chronic trauma for people living in the Tenderloin. Maitri – Compassionate Care ($225,000 for services for low-income transgender patients) From its beginnings in the Castro as a respite for HIV-AIDS patients, Maitri has grown to provide 24x7 wrap-around services to low-income transgender and gender diverse patients who are recovering from gender-affirmation procedures. A long-time funder, the Foundation is supporting the expansion of the Maitri Affirmation Center, the leading program in San Francisco providing low-income transgender patients with access to nursing care, shelter, food, social programs, and mental health services. Lyon-Martin Community Health Services ($150,000 for expansion of LGBTQ+ services) For nearly 50 years, Lyon-Martin Community Health Services has been a vital lifeline for compassionate and trauma-informed medical and mental healthcare services for the LGBTQ+ community. This most recent Foundation grant will support Lyon-Martin's expansion into its new 17,000-square-foot facility that will enable it to serve 1,000 more patients annually. In 2024, Lyon-Martin completed more than 12,000 appointments and facilitated 549 gender-affirming care referrals. Additional Foundation grants to Curry Senior Center and Sequoia Living are funding integrated mental health services for underserved older adults. 'The Saint Francis Foundation has always supported and celebrated diversity, equity, and inclusion,' said Smith. 'Today, as cuts to federal funding threaten access to care for thousands of underserved residents, we are meeting these challenges with respect, empathy and relentless persistence. Advancing the work of these community organizations has never been more urgent or important.' About Saint Francis Foundation As it has for almost half a century, the Saint Francis Foundation is committed to filling the gap in the delivery of high-quality, equitable and affordable healthcare in San Francisco. Building on its legacy as one of the Bay Area's most respected independent charitable foundations, the Foundation continues to fund innovative patient care and staff training programs at UCSF Health Saint Francis Hospital and provides grants to a growing number of nonprofit community partners who ensure compassionate care for patients and families beyond the hospital environment. Since its founding in 1979, the Saint Francis Foundation has contributed more than $128 million to further community healthcare access and outcomes. For more information, please visit
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Andhra pradesh forms high power council to strengthen AIDS control measures
Image used is for representational purposes only VIJAYAWADA: To further strengthen its fight against the HIV-AIDS virus in the state, the Andhra Pradesh govt constituted an 18-member high-power council headed by the Chief Secretary. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu approved Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav's proposal in this regard on Wednesday. The 18-member council will consist of special chief secretaries, principal secretaries, and secretaries of various departments, including health, school education, higher education, women and child development, panchayat raj and rural development, municipal administration and urban development, youth affairs, tourism, agriculture, transport, roads, and buildings. To ensure the participation of all stakeholders in the fight against AIDS, representatives of affected people like PLHIV and MARP, as well as representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), will be in the council. In addition, the AP State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) project director will act as the convenor of the council. The new Andhra Pradesh State Council to oversee control of HIV/AIDS will enable policy decisions and effective implementation of AIDS control programmes through regular monitoring and assessment of the outcomes, resource mobilisation, and better implementation of programmes through inter-departmental coordination and encouraging community participation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The council will convene on a regular basis to oversee the progress of the fight against AIDS. It aims at 100% enrolment of People Living with HIV (PLHIV), Most At Risk Population (MARP), and Children Affected By AIDS (CABA), ensuring proper disease preventive and post-disease treatment protocols, and their inclusion in various social protection schemes. The broad-based council is also required to provide proper leadership to the implementation of AIDS control measures in the state through regular review meetings. Speaking on the occasion, Satya Kumar Yadav, who recommended the constitution of the new council, noted that it will significantly contribute to further strengthening the ongoing efforts to control HIV/AIDS in the state through inter-departmental effort and leveraging of available resources and infrastructure.
Express Tribune
05-04-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Non-existent health regulation plagues Sindh
In 2005, the last health policy was formulated in Sindh, which concerned the prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, improvement of maternal and child health, control of malnutrition, establishment of a district health system, regulation of private medical institutions, improvement of medical education, establishment of school health service, and control of illegal use of medicines. After the 18th Amendment, the formulation of a health and drug policy came under the purview of the provincial government. Unfortunately, however, despite the passage of 20 years, the Health Department of Sindh has not been able to formulate a new health policy. During this time, the people of the province have consistently been plagued by infectious diseases and seasonal epidemics including chikungunya, crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever, malaria, dengue, HIV-AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis and Covid-19. Although trillions of rupees are released annually for the vertical programs of the Health Department, the lack of a health policy in the province is a clear reflection of the poor coordination among the stakeholders in the public health sector. According to Dr Ikram Sultan, Former Director of Health Karachi, the failure of the government to devise a health policy meant that the Health Department was running on an ad hoc basis, and no targets could be set for the elimination of diseases from the province. "Under a health policy, a time frame is set for the elimination of various diseases and then at the end of the year, the targets are reviewed to see what percentage of the disease has been controlled. Unfortunately, the people of Sindh are forced to live under the influence of various viruses every month and throughout the year. Establishing a healthy society has become a dream. Until or unless, data of diseases is made available, no target can be set for their treatment and eradication," said Dr Sultan, who went on to add that there was no drug policy in Pakistan either. On a separate note, Dr Greesh Kumar, a health expert highlighted the fact that in the absence of a health policy, the infrastructure of hospitals and primary health centers running under the Health Department was also severely affected. "Conversely, public health problems have worsened due to which the pressure of patients at large teaching hospitals has become unmanageable. Therefore, often times patients do not get proper medical attention," revealed Dr Kumar. According to a survey conducted by The Express Tribune, there is no centralized system for collecting data of patients and diseases across various government hospitals. At present, there is a Health Secretary in Karachi, Director of Health Karachi and other district hospitals however, the second important secretariat of the Health Department is established in Hyderabad, which is named the Director General of Health Sindh. The surprising part is that in order to attend the meeting held in the DG office, the staff members have to travel to Hyderabad, which wastes time and fuel. On the other hand, no steps are being taken to improve the healthcare services and facilities at hospitals running under public-private partnerships. Where on the one hand there is a dearth of modern technology, on the other hand the Health Department is constantly facing a shortage of medical staff. Furthermore, there is a lack of government-level training to adapt the staff to modern requirements while no medical research centers are available to address health problems at the primary level. Hence, a strong health policy is essential for the establishment of a healthy society. Not only will a health policy expedite the eradication of diseases but it will also improve the overall public healthcare system in Sindh.
