The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a National Institutes of Health (NIH) division, has announced plans to fund human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care and prevention research in the South of the US.

The initiative will support multiple collaborations with medical research institutions to  explore new approaches to implement treatment and prevention tools in regions with the highest rates of new HIV cases.

The southern part of the US was selected because it reports the highest rates of new HIV diagnoses, patients and related deaths.

Tools to be included under the initiative are daily antiretroviral therapy, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and emergency post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

The new funds will be utilised to deepen ongoing research at the NIH-funded Centers for AIDS Research (CFARs) to minimise HIV burden across the world.

CFARs in the US South will build on existing alliances with local health authorities, community-based groups, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention programmes, and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.

"This new initiative harnesses local expertise to design smart, innovative ways to fill the gaps in HIV treatment and prevention care that are pervasive in the US South."

The partners will aim to determine and assess strategies to connect people living with the infection or at risk of its acquisition with prevention services and medical care.

NIAID director Anthony Fauci said: "The Centers for AIDS Research are our research boots on the ground, working in diverse communities nationwide.

"This new initiative harnesses their local expertise to design smart, innovative ways to fill the gaps in HIV treatment and prevention care that are pervasive in the US South."

The health research organisation intends to provide supplemental funding to the current CFAR programme early next year. The CFARs are co-funded and managed by 14 institutes and centres at the NIH.

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