Cleveland fights to end HIV epidemic

CLEVELAND — The latest numbers from the Ohio Department of Health show there are more than 25,000 Ohioans battling HIV in the state. So on Thursday, Cleveland and Cuyahoga County pledged to step up their efforts to end the epidemic by becoming a fast-track city.

“It means we’re part of a global network of over 500 cities that are all committed to ending the HIV epidemic by 2030,” Dr. David Margolius, the director of Public Health for Cleveland Department of Public Health, said.

The goal is to have zero deaths as a result of AIDS and zero new infections by 2030. Ohio resident Cederick Taylor, who was diagnosed with HIV back in 2018, is excited about this new change.

“This is where the work starts and we have a lot more work to do and it’s only up from here,” he said.

Since Taylor’s diagnosis, he has become an activist for people living with HIV. 

“I don’t want the next person to feel the way that I did,” he said.

He has hopes that with commitment from Cleveland and Cuyahoga County to help combat this problem, HIV patients will live a better and longer life.

“It’s not a death sentence. You can still live a long happy life, you can still be a beautiful person, you can be exactly yourself with this virus but you will take control over it,” he said.

Officials did not give specifics on what the plan is, but the goals are to prevent deaths from this disease, decrease new HIV infections and reduce the stigma around the disease.