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Marion County Public Health outlines STD trends, sets congenital syphilis reduction goal and highlights new HIV-prevention grant
Summary
Public-health leadership reported STD surveillance trends mirror national patterns, set a goal to reduce congenital syphilis 10% by Dec. 31, 2027, and described a competitive five-year 'Scaling Up HIV Prevention Services' grant that increases annual funding to roughly $883,000.
Dr. Virginia Kane, director and chief medical officer of the Marion County Public Health Department, summarized clinic and program updates including STD surveillance, grant awards and community outreach.
Dr. Kane said the department’s Bellflower STD clinic typically serves ‘‘anywhere between 250 to 300 patients per week’’ and showed trends similar to national patterns (declines in chlamydia and gonorrhea, increases in syphilis). She said the department set a goal ‘‘to reduce congenital syphilis by 10 percent by 12/31/2027,’’ aligned with state goals. Dr. Kane also announced a competitive award, the Scaling Up HIV Prevention Services grant: Marion County is one of 15 cities to receive the five-year award (August 2024–July 2029) and staff said annual funding for the program increased from roughly $600,000 to about $883,000 for 2026.
Dr. Kane described strategies to strengthen clinic infrastructure and partnerships to address HIV and STDs through syndemic approaches and noted related prevention programs such as an asthma education program and upcoming tire-recycling and community-health improvement events.
