Mayors commit to end AIDS epidemic in cities
More than 30 cities playing a leading role in the AIDS response met in New York, United States of America, on 6th to 7th June, 2016 to discuss ongoing strategies and innovations in their cities that are improving health and development.
The meeting was convened by the Mayors of New York, Bill de Blasio, and Paris, Anne Hidalgo, in collaboration with UNAIDS and the Fast-Track cities partners, UN-Habitat and the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), on ending the AIDS epidemic in cities by 2030.
Mayor Noel Chalamanda was in attendance and made a presentation on behalf of people of Blantyre City.
Said Chalamanda: “As the world is fast urbanising, it is clear that the quest to end AIDS will be won or lost in cities. As a city leader, I believe we can end the epidemic in our generation. We owe it to the next generation. Let’s do it.”
Blantyre City is part of the 2014 declaration to end the AIDS epidemic. In signing the 2014 Paris Declaration, the mayors committed to putting their cities on the Fast-Track to ending the AIDS epidemic through a set of commitments.
Those commitments include achieving the UNAIDS 90–90–90 treatment target, which will result in 90% of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status, 90% of people who know their HIV-positive status on antiretroviral treatment and 90% of people on treatment with suppressed viral loads.
Since the end of 2014, more than 200 cities around the world have signed the Paris Declaration and are addressing the significant disparities in access to basic services, social justice and economic opportunity towards ending the AIDS epidemic.