Gilead Sciences Announces $24 Million in Grants to Help End the HIV Epidemic for Everyone, Everywhere

By: Gilead Sciences, Inc. via Business Wire

March 28, 2022 at 11:00 AM EDT

– Funding Will Reach Under-Resourced Communities Most Impacted by the HIV Epidemic and COVID-19 Pandemic –

Gilead Sciences, Inc., (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced $24 million in grants to help reduce health disparities, improve access to quality healthcare, advance medical education and support local communities most impacted by the HIV epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic. The Zeroing In: Ending the HIV Epidemic program, will support 116 organizations in 41 countries. The funding recipients will focus on advancing at least one of three focus areas: Comprehensive HIV Innovation, Digital Health Innovation and Community Outreach and Education.

“While the HIV community has made tremendous progress toward ending the HIV epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic created barriers and amplified health inequities in the most marginalized communities,” said Alex Kalomparis, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Gilead Sciences. “We are working with organizations that will reach under-resourced communities and support them to find innovative, effective solutions. Zeroing In programs aim to increase access to HIV care and services and build on Gilead’s efforts to help end the epidemic for everyone, everywhere.”

“Through Gilead Sciences’ Zeroing In program, a collective of 10 migrant-led frontline organizations across Europe have the opportunity to work collectively for the first time to address HIV knowledge, testing and treatment barriers amongst migrant communities,” said Denis Onyango, Programmes Director, Africa Advocacy Foundation.

“Through this funding, we will be able to increase community awareness of HIV and PrEP to marginalized communities across Mississippi, through trained community health workers. We plan to address HIV stigma, and structural and institutional barriers associated with HIV care in Mississippi. It is only through support from organizations like Gilead that we will truly be able to end the HIV epidemic,” said Dr. Christopher Roby, Chief Operations Officer, Community Health Center Association of Mississippi.

“This funding will empower very isolated families to manage their HIV at home and to quickly access medical care when additional support is needed, without creating undue financial burdens on families that are experiencing significant hardship. It will also help us combat the devastating stigma that exists around HIV throughout Nepal. This will make it easier to access care, maintain community ties, and keep safe and healthy,” said Crystal Anderson, Grants and Donor Communications Manager, Nepal Youth Foundation.

To build on progress in local communities, Zeroing In organizations will prioritize populations most affected by the HIV epidemic. This includes projects from local organizations collaborating to end the HIV epidemic in their respective cities, states, countries or regions. Zeroing In organizations will focus on one or more of three areas:

Comprehensive HIV Innovation Programs: This includes at-home testing efforts that help close the gaps in HIV testing and prevention, supportive service programs and comprehensive HIV prevention programs inclusive of biomedical prevention options.

Digital Health Innovations: Strategies will address the health literacy divide in accessing digital health services, support digital access in rural areas for better outcomes for people living with HIV, or support digital health education for those with language barriers, aging populations, indigenous, migrant and stigmatized populations.

Community Outreach and Education: Community-driven programs will provide resources for HIV community outreach workers, address the lack of culturally appropriate service options, break down barriers between communities and service providers, and reduce stigma and improve education around HIV.

About Zeroing In

Zeroing In builds on previous Gilead funding and grant programs, while supporting organizations to increase the overall health and wellness of communities most impacted by HIV and COVID-19. Gilead provides support to organizations whose programs align with international and country-specific Ending the HIV Epidemic goals. This includes local community programming and coalition-led proposals from organizations collaborating to end the HIV epidemic in their respective city, state, country or region. Zeroing In programming focuses on comprehensive HIV innovation, digital health innovation, and/or community outreach and education.

For more information on Gilead’s Zeroing In: Ending the HIV Epidemic grant program, please visit https://www.gilead.com/purpose/giving/zeroing-in-ending-hiv-epidemic. A complete list of funded organizations can be found at https://www.gilead.com/-/media/files/pdfs/other/Zeroing-In-Grantee-List-for-Website.pdf.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

For more than 30 years, Gilead has been a leading innovator in the field of HIV, driving advances in treatment, prevention and cure research. Today, millions of people living with HIV globally receive antiretroviral therapy provided by Gilead or one of the company’s manufacturing partners.

GILEAD and the GILEAD logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For more information about Gilead, please visit the company’s website at www.gilead.com, follow Gilead on Twitter (@Gilead Sciences) or call Gilead Public Affairs at 1-800-GILEAD-5 or 1-650-574-3000.