Washington DC – President Biden marked World AIDS Day on Wednesday by announcing a new strategy to end the epidemic by 2030.

Biden said he wants to curb new infections by 75% over the next four years, in part by recognizing the "public health threat" that is racism and discrimination, the Associated Press reported.

AIDS-related illnesses have claimed the lives of 36 million people around the world since the epidemic began four decades ago. Globally, there are 38 million people living with HIV, including 1.2 million in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in June that 70% of new cases were in LGBTQ+ men. There are also big racial disparities: African Americans accounted for 41% and Hispanic/Latinos for 29%.

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Part of addressing these issues means tackling the stigma as well as discriminatory policies surrounding HIV/AIDS, which may discourage people from seeking proper medical care.

Concretely, Biden called for a greater focus on racial justice and more employment opportunities for people who have or are at greater risk of contracting HIV.

He also wants to expand syringe service programs, encourage states to change laws that criminalize HIV-positive people for possibly exposing others, and turn more attention toward the needs of aging Americans with the virus.

The Biden administration also recently announced it will be hosting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS in 2022. The US has already contributed around $17 billion to the fund, accounting for about a third of the overall donations.