Cardiff on fast track to stop HIV transmission
CARDIFF has officially become a Fast Track City, working towards ending HIV transmissions by 2030.
By signing the Paris Declaration on Fast Track Cities, Cardiff has committed itself (along with more than 300 cities and municipalities) to work towards sustaining the UNAIDS 90/90/90 targets.
The targets hope to have 90% with the virus formally diagnosed, 90% of people having treatment for HIV and 90% of people having undetectable and un-transmittable viral loads.
The Fast Track Cities initiative is a global partnership between cities around the world, the International Association of Providers of Aids Care (IAPAC), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the City of Paris.
Bertrand Audoin, vice president of strategic partnerships for the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), said the signing “illustrates the innovation that is going on in Cardiff”.
He said: “One thing I found out in the past month was how Cardiff addressed HIV programmes during the Covid pandemic. Covid and HIV together are on the same boat in trying to reach out to the right communities, and that’s exactly what [Cardiff ] are doing.
“First we want to congratulate you on all the work you’ve done so far and for still being on track to be innovative and coming up with new programmes even in these challenging times.
“We are very happy and honoured that Cardiff is the first Welsh city to join the initiative. This illustrates the innovation that is going on in Cardiff.”
A virtual ceremony included the live signing of the declaration by the Leader of Cardiff council, Huw Thomas, who described the event as “an important day” for the Welsh capital.
“I am pleased that we are signing this declaration today signifying that Cardiff, too, is joining the network and also expanding the Fast Track Cities network into Wales,” he said.
“We’re going to work to increase awareness of the virus both locally and nationally and will also work to eliminate the stigma and discrimination that exists across our services and society.
“Today is a really important day when we see Cardiff and the Vale joining another seven cities across the UK who have already signed up to the Fast Track declarations.”
The digital signing ceremony saw many officials voicing their support, with Health Minister Vaughan Gething providing a video message.
Earlier this year, the Welsh Government announced that the HIV preventative drug, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), would be routinely available through the NHS in Wales following a successful trial of the drug.
Fast Track Cardiff has garnered support from the local health board.
Len Richards, chief executive of Cardiff and Vale Health Board, said: “The actual imperative behind it and the goals of the project, it was really easy for us to get behind it.
“The vision for our organisation is that a person’s chance of leading a healthy life is the same wherever they live and whoever they are, and I see Fast Track Cardiff as certainly one of the main drivers on our approach to deliver on that vision.”
The initiative is looking to expand to other cities within Wales such as Newport, Swansea and Bangor.
According to Fast Track Cardiff and Vale, Fast Track Cardiff could become Fast Track Wales over time depending on interest from these cities.