Renaissance UK, as one of Blackpool’s dedicated HIV support Services are proud to be part of the ‘Fast-Track-Cities’ network.
On the eve of World AIDS Day, the Fast Track Cities declaration was signed by counsellor Jo Farrell and Blackpool Council announced that Blackpool will join London, Manchester and Brighton in the UK and 250 others around the world aiming to eradicate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Fast-Track Cities is a global partnership between cities and municipalities around the world and four core partners – 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.
The core aim of the Fast-Track Cities initiative is to end the HIV epidemic and eliminate HIV-related stigma whilst achieving the UNAIDS targets.
Blackpool is already surpassing the interim 2025 targets set UNAIDS and is committed to maintaining these figures, ensuring the town plays a part in the global effort to reach the target of zero new HIV transmissions and zero AIDS related deaths by 2030
Blackpool is committing to:
Working with its partners to make sure 95 percent of people with HIV know their status
Increasing the percentage of all people with diagnosed HIV infection who are on treatment
Increasing the percentage of people already on treatment who stay on medication long-term thus reducing the likelihood of transmission
Reduce the negative impact of stigma and discrimination
End HIV epidemics in cities and municipalities by 2030
Anthony Harrison-West, Sexual Health Manager at Renaissance UK, said:
“Signing the Paris Declaration for Fast Track Cities is a huge step towards the target of no new HIV Infections in England by 2030.
Renaissance UK is honoured to be a part of this and to represent a community that Renaissance UK has directly supported in Blackpool for almost 30 years.
We will continue to strive for better care and quality of life, for those we support within our service, as well as champion awareness and education, to reduce the stigma that sadly still surrounds the condition.
We will continue our work to increase confidence and wellbeing for those living with and affected by HIV and through our local activation partner status for HIV Prevention England, we will champion community awareness and testing through our dedicated support team and Sexual Health Outreach Workers.
Renaissance UK continues to be the proud leader of HIV Support, Awareness and Testing in Blackpool and holding the Fast Track Cities status will increase opportunities to work more collaboratively with both local and national partners to achieve shared goals for our communities.”
Rapid HIV Testing is available at the Renaissance Blackpool base, 102 Dickson Road, Monday to Thursday, 10.00am – 4.00pm
Call 01253 311431 to make an appointment or just drop in.
For those wishing for further detail about the support available, please call 01253 311431 or email: HIVRef@Ren-UK.com
