AIDSfree: World’s city bosses head to London for summit on ending Aids epidemic
Following our Christmas campaign, unique global forum to take place in London
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Your support makes all the difference.Key figures in the battle against Aids will join in London for a unique global forum which aims to drive down HIV rates and achieve the target of ending the epidemic.
Following The Independent’s AIDSfree campaign, representatives from six key cities are to meet in the capital this month with one goal in mind – to fight a disease that has claimed some 36 million lives.
Government ministers and mayors will be joined by leading medical experts to begin discussions and form a plan of action on tackling HIV together and creating an Aids-free future.
Those living with HIV will also have a voice, to share the real-life impact of the public health gains already made, and the need for more to be done.
Globally, 37 million people are living with HIV and this is rising by 1.8 million annually.
In Britain 15 people are infected every day.
The AIDSfree Cities Global Forum on 30 January will focus on the UN’s “90-90-90 targets”.
These aim to ensure that at least 90 per cent of people with HIV know their status; 90 per cent of these are in treatment; and 90 per cent have an undetectable viral load – where the level of virus in blood is so low it cannot be passed on.
London has already reached these goals but experts say more can be done in both the capital and in the five other cities our campaign is focusing on, which are yet to achieve the targets: Delhi in India, Nairobi in Kenya, Maputo in Mozambique, Kiev in Ukraine and Atlanta in the US.
The ideas, plans and proposals from the one-day forum will feed into the Fast-Track Cities Global Summit due to be held in London in September.
The summit is part of an initiative launched in Paris on World Aids Day 2014, when mayors from cities across the world convened to sign the declaration committing them to achieving the UN’s 90-90-90 goals and ending stigma associated with HIV and Aids.
Delegates from more than 275 cities are due to attend this conference, which is being co-ordinated by the International Association of Providers of Aids Care (Iapac) and its partners.
Triggered by our campaign in partnership with the Elton John AIDS Foundation, The AIDSfree Cities Global Forum will be hosted by the charity along with health secretary Matt Hancock and international development secretary Penny Mordaunt.
We know our work is not done until we can say we have eliminated Aids off the face of the globe — and for some cities, there is still some way to go
Mr Hancock said: “The UK recently celebrated an extraordinary feat by becoming one of the first countries to meet global control targets for HIV. But we know our work is not done until we can say we have eliminated Aids off the face of the globe – and for some cities, there is still some way to go. As a world leader in health, we have a duty to share what we’ve learned.
“I am delighted the UK will be hosting this forum to bring together leaders, experts and stakeholders to accelerate action on HIV and save lives.”
The forum’s experts will work to speed up HIV-prevention programmes and save the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people
Ms Mordaunt said: “We are proud the government is co-hosting the AIDS-free Global Forum. The forum’s experts will work to speed up HIV-prevention programmes and save the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
“Through UK Aid Match, the government is matching donations from the great British public, up to £2m, to the Independent and the Evening Standard’s AIDSfree campaign. With this vital public support the Elton John AIDS Foundation will work to increase HIV testing and care in both Nairobi and Maputo.”
Iapac president José Zuniga said: “The insights and commitments stemming from the forum will inform the Fast-Track Cities 2019 conference and Global Mayors Summit, where we will feature progress made and opportunities to further accelerate local HIV responses in more than 275 cities worldwide.”
The event, sponsored by Johnson and Johnson, will be hosted in partnership with EJAF by the Conduit in Mayfair.
Paul van Zyl, co-founder and CCO of the Conduit, said: “We are delighted to host the AIDSFree Cities Global Forum and help facilitate meaningful, impactful partnerships in the fight against HIV/Aids.”
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