The Mayor of Yekaterinburg, Alexander Vysokinsky, has announced that Yekaterinburg will become the first city in the Russian Federation to sign the Paris Declaration to end the AIDS epidemic.
In signing the Paris Declaration, Yekaterinburg will commit to putting the city on the Fast-Track to ending the AIDS epidemic through reaching the 90–90–90 targets, whereby, by 2020, 90% of people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of people who know their HIV-positive status will be accessing treatment and 90% of people on treatment will have suppressed viral loads.
According to government statistics, more than 22 000 people are living with HIV in Yekaterinburg.
In announcing the decision to sign the Paris Declaration, Mr Vysokinsky noted that the initiative will encourage innovations and cutting-edge treatment programmes to address HIV and other health challenges and will contribute to a better life for future generations.
Since the launch of the Fast-Track cities initiative on 1 December 2014, about 300 cities and municipalities around the world have signed the Paris Declaration. Leaders in those cities have recognized that their strategies for responding to the AIDS epidemic also offer them a platform to address the need for social inclusion, public services, primary health care and community mobilization.
“AIDS is a challenge that needs to be addresses in any large city. In Yekaterinburg, we are talking about HIV, we are taking concrete steps and as a Fast-Track city we are committed to reach the 90–90–90 targets by 2020.”
Alexander Vysokinsky Mayor of Yekaterinburg
“UNAIDS welcomes the decision of Yekaterinburg to join the Paris Declaration and to achieve a breakthrough in the city’s response to HIV. We hope that Yekaterinburg will be the first of many cities in the Russian Federation to join this initiative, which can help to change the trajectory of HIV infections in a country.”
Vinay P. Saldanha, Director UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
