HIV care is aim of 4 Walmart pharmacies

Walmart Inc. plans to open four pharmacies in the Northeast staffed by pharmacists specially trained to help people with HIV, the company said Thursday.

Walmart is also starting a continuing education program for pharmacists and Walmart Health workers to support patients with or at risk of getting HIV.

The Bentonville-based retailer opened three Specialty Pharmacies of the Community as a beta project in 2021 to provide all aspects of care to people living with HIV/AIDS.

The four new pharmacies, expected to open in the first three months of 2023, will be at one store each in Connecticut and New York, and two stores in New Jersey.

And in partnership with the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Walmart said it is offering nationwide an HIV Prevention + Treatment Continuing Pharmacist and Provider Training Program.

Designed by Duke University, the program will be available to all Walmart pharmacists and Walmart Health community health workers. The training program has already been beta-tested at the four new specialty pharmacies and with all Walmart Health community workers, the company said.