Fast Track Cities
The purpose of the Fast Track Cities network is to bring together the world’s metropolises that are struggling with the spread of HIV/AIDS, and to facilitate peer-to-peer sharing of experiences, data and successful strategies. Currently, the Fast Track Cities network includes over 300 cities, including Prague.
Objectives of the project
Testing aim
At least 90% of people living with HIV should know their HIV status.
Therapeutic goal
At least 90% of HIV positive people will be treated with antiretroviral drugs.
Therapeutic and preventive aim
At least 90% of people living with HIV will have suppressed blood copies of HIV to undetectable levels through medication and monitoring. With proper adherence to treatment, this will in practice prevent sexual transmission of the infection.
Fight against discrimination
The Paris Declaration sets out additional pillars of action to combat discrimination and stigma against HIV positive people. Without eliminating discrimination and stigma, the previously outlined goals of 90-90-90 cannot be achieved.
About the project
Due to the inactivity of the National HIV/AIDS Programme Coordination Working Group, in 2019, the HIV situation in Prague was taken over directly by the city administration. Most of HIV detections are currently taking place in the metropolitan area.
In 2019, the municipal working group for HIV/AIDS prevention developed a city
Action Plan for the implementation of the National Programme for addressing HIV/AIDS in the Czech Republic.
One of the recommendations of the action plan was Prague’s accession to the Fast-Track Cities initiative. Prague became a member of Fast Track Cities on 5 December 2019.
Zdeněk Hřib, Mayor of the City of Prague, Milena Johnová, Councillor for
Social Policy and Health, and Bertrand Audoin from International
Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), which was behind the creation of Fast Track Cities.
Prague Pride contributed to Prague’s accession to Fast-Track Cities by
facilitating meetings between a representative of the initiative and city leaders and other major entities working in the HIV field in Prague (especially NGOs),
but also doctors and staff of state institutions working in the field of HIV.
What is the Fast Track Cities initiative
The Fast-Track Cities: ending the AIDS epidemic initiative was launched with the signing of the Paris Declaration in 2014. It was launched by the International
Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS; United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat; United Nations Human
Settlements) and the City of Paris.
What the initiative will bring to Prague
Joining the international initiative will potentially give Prague access to specific financial resources for non-governmental non-profit organizations and other organizations operating in the territory of Prague in the fight against HIV.
It will facilitate networking with regional leaders who will provide local experts based on established partnerships with other cities to pass on their know-how within
various workshops or other activities between partner cities. With regard to
geographical proximity, there are opportunities to exchange experiences with e.g. Vienna and Berlin, which, like Prague, are frequent destinations of so-called sex tourists.
In the case of the capital city of Prague, a set of measures is envisaged to ensure
in particular permanent access to quality testing, elimination of HIV-related stigma and discrimination, close cooperation with communities, groups at risk and public health authorities, health facilities and the police. This will enable targeting limited financial and human resources to effective and tested activities leading to HIV control. This involves eliminating the fear of HIV testing and reducing stigma and discrimination against HIV-positive citizens.
