Key Links

Keylinks Right Menu 

Licensure Key Links

Keylinks Licensure

This message is from the State Health Officer regarding 

Increasing HIV Diagnoses across Louisiana. 

 Please see the message below to share and distribute with relevant stakeholders and partners through your own distribution channels.

Medical Providers and Community Leaders in Louisiana

Joseph Kanter, MD, Louisiana State Health Officer

Increasing HIV Diagnoses across Louisiana

The rise in people newly diagnosed with HIV is alarming and, notably, this increase is occurring in both rural and urban areas of the state. The Louisiana Department of Health‘s

 Office of Public Health requests that all healthcare professionals and community leaders in the state join us in addressing the rise of new HIV diagnoses.

All community and medical providers should ensure their patients are aware of HIV prevention options.

 These include Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and an understanding that people with HIV who take their HIV medicine as prescribed and who achieve and maintain viral suppression (undetectable) can stay healthy and will not transmit HIV to their sex partners. – this is known as undetectable equals untransmittable (or U=U). More information can be found at 

Healthcare professionals are additionally encouraged to take the following steps to help reduce the rate of new diagnoses, especially in our most vulnerable communities.