Welcome, Francisco Ruiz, ONAP’s New Director – A Message from Kaye Hayes

We Must Continue Pushing Forward in Our HIV Response

We are already more than 100 days into 2024, and I’m reminded that we must continue pushing forward while keeping our foot on the pedal to ensure our HIV response builds on our successes and continues to work to address unmet needs and emerging challenges. To assist with these efforts, the White House has appointed a new director to lead the Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), and I am honored to welcome Francisco Ruiz to this position.

He takes the helm as the first Latino to serve in this role and as an individual whose history and lived experience demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to equity across the diverse communities impacted by HIV. As the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Infectious Disease and the Director of the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP), I am looking forward to working with Francisco and ONAP to advance the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) and the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative as we continue to approach our efforts through a syndemic lens that recognizes the overlapping health conditions of HIV, substance use, mental health, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections, particularly the crisis of syphilis and congenital syphilis, and the social and structural factors that give rise to them.

Commitment to Coordination and Community Engagement

Francisco has worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 2013. In his former role as the Senior Advisor for Program Innovation and Coordination within the Division of HIV Prevention, he played an integral role in shaping and advancing programs and partnerships across the Division’s ten branches and six offices. Additionally, he advanced the agency’s engagement with community partners, ensuring that impacted populations were part of message development and the creation of new initiatives. Before joining the federal government, he worked at NASTAD (National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors), collaborating extensively with health departments to address the impact of HIV among key populations, including Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities. His focus on engaging and working with diverse communities, his experience working in public health, and his commitment to addressing health disparities and inequities will continue to be of great benefit to the HIV service community and those who continue to work toward ending the HIV epidemic.

I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Francisco on this well-deserved appointment. My office and I, along with many others committed to ending the HIV epidemic, are excited and look forward to our future collaboration.

Learn More

We encourage you to read a recent blog available in English and Spanish about Francisco’s appointment by Neera Tanden, Chair of the Domestic Policy Council and Domestic Policy Advisor to the President, The White House.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The article discusses the appointment of Francisco Ruiz as the new director of the Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) and highlights his commitment to equity across diverse communities impacted by HIV. This aligns with SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. It also connects to SDG 5, which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. Additionally, the article mentions addressing health disparities and inequities, which relates to SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequalities within and among countries.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases.
• Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.
• Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies, and actions in this regard.

The appointment of Francisco Ruiz and his commitment to addressing the HIV epidemic align with Target 3.3 of SDG 3, which aims to end the epidemics of AIDS and combat other communicable diseases. The focus on equity and engaging diverse communities also relates to Target 10.3 of SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequalities of outcome by eliminating discriminatory laws and promoting appropriate legislation and actions. Additionally, the emphasis on addressing health disparities connects to Target 5.6 of SDG 5, which aims to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 3.3.1: Number of new HIV infections per 1,000 uninfected population, by sex, age, and key populations.
• Indicator 5.6.1: Proportion of women aged 15-49 years who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use, and reproductive health care.
• Indicator 10.3.1: Proportion of people who have experienced a discriminatory or unfair treatment based on attributes such as sex, age, disability, ethnicity, and migration status.

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, based on the targets identified, relevant indicators can be used to measure progress towards those targets. Indicator 3.3.1 can be used to measure progress towards Target 3.3 by tracking the number of new HIV infections among different populations. Indicator 5.6.1 can assess progress towards Target 5.6 by measuring the proportion of women who have autonomy over their sexual and reproductive health decisions. Indicator 10.3.1 can measure progress towards Target 10.3 by assessing the proportion of people who have experienced discriminatory or unfair treatment based on various attributes.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: hiv.gov

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.