ORLANDO, Fla. – With the cutting of a ribbon, Walmart located off of Princeton Street becomes one of several to now offer specialty pharmacies in the Central Florida area.
“If you have something such as HIV, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, we can help with all those specialties... conditions,” said Jasmine Thomas, who is the pharmacy manager for the retail giant.
Thomas said this specialty pharmacy is one of nine opening in Orlando, and by the end of the month, Walmart said they are set to have 70 nationwide.
The big box store partnered with the Elton John Aids Foundation, pledging to help reduce the HIV and AIDS epidemic by 2030.
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The first step in their process is to provide testing and treatment.
Monday, the Princeton Street Walmart offered free HIV testing but said that it was an event for the store’s grand opening.
Thomas said there may be more events like that but added that the store’s goal is to focus on treatment and provide affordable medications for specialty conditions like HIV.
“We were chosen. All of our pharmacy specialties of the communities are chosen using a data-driven selection process through the CDC, so we wanted to make sure — specifically, all the zip codes that were selected for this SPOCS — where there was a documented unmet need,” Thomas said.
According to AIDSVu, an HIV monitoring organization using data from the CDC, and local health departments, more than 13,000 people were living with HIV in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Lake counties back in 2020.
“When we talk about increasing access to HIV screenings that we recognize that accessibility looks very different based on communities,” Daniel Downer said.
Downer helps lead Bros in Convo, an LGBTQ nonprofit focusing on helping members of the black and brown community.
He said he hopes these new specialty pharmacies encourage people to get tested and get educated.
“They’re going to take that education and share that within their network group which then helps reduce that stigma that’s attached to HIV,” said Downer.
Downer says new research shows HIV cases are not isolated to the LGBTQ community.
He said there have been increases in cases for other demographics like adults 65 and older, heterosexual black men and women, and the Hispanic community.
“It’s really more of a tie to disparity and marginalized communities that already have very much limited access to healthcare,” Downer said.
Walmart’s HIV testing event did end Monday, but the event comes just before National HIV Testing Day.
Here are five places in Orlando that offer free HIV testing:
The Center Orlando
The Center Orlando is a nonprofit organization that promotes and empowers the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. The organization offers free HIV testing at the Health & Human Services Building on 1200 Hillcrest St., Suite 102. No appointment is needed, and you must be 13 years or older.
Phone: 407-228-8272
Hope and Help
This nonprofit health organization and medical center has a mission to end the HIV epidemic in Florida through health education, prevention, testing and treatment. Free HIV testing is available to everyone, and the center also offers testing for Hepatitis C and syphilis. The organization’s east Orlando location is on 4122 Metric Dr.
Phone: 407-645-2577
Miracle of Love
Free confidential HIV testing is offered at this nonprofit’s Stafford House on 711 Seminole Ave. without an appointment needed. Tests are offered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Phone: 407-532-0070
University of Central Florida
The university’s Wellness and Health Promotion Services offers free HIV testing to anyone in the Orlando community. UCF offers the testing Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an appointment needed.
Phone: 407-823-5841
CAN Community Health
This private nonprofit organization owns and operates 34 medical clinics, and it offers free rapid and home HIV tests. The clinic on 1301 W. Colonial Dr. is open Monday through Friday.
Phone: 407-246-1946
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