The Fast-Track Cities Initiative (FTCI) 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 (https://www.fast-trackcities.org/).
On 1 December 2018, World AIDS Day, Liverpool City Council formally signed the Paris Declaration on Fast-Track Cities, which outlines a set of commitments to achieve the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets, (90% of all people living with HIV knowing their HIV status, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection receiving sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy having viral suppression) and getting to zero new HIV infections and zero AIDS-related deaths.
The Liverpool FTCI core steering committee comprises expert membership from Public Health Liverpool, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Sahir House.
Four sub-groups have been established to drive the work forward with an initial focus on increasing HIV and HCV testing, as early access to testing services plays a vital role in reducing late diagnosis and reduces the number of people who are not aware of their HIV status, unknowingly passing the virus on to others.
HIV testing services, Led by LSTMs Dr Victoria Watson, aims to increase the uptake of HIV testing and ensure quality assurance and education of testing is maintained.
Late diagnosis, Led by LSTMs Professor Miriam Taegtmeyer, aims to identify and test those who are at risk of late HIV diagnosis.
Stigma reduction and equality, led by Dr Fath Alloba from Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, aims to reduce stigma through education, activities and services.
HIV and bloodborne viruses (BBV) elimination, led by Dr Libuse Ratcliffe form Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, aims to identify, and test those who are at risk of BBV.
Liverpool FTCI aims to reduce the proportion of Liverpool residents living with undiagnosed HIV and HCV and extend the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target (Liverpool currently 93-99-97) through accessible high-quality service delivery, support, information and choices to people living with HIV and HCV. We want to make our pathways stronger, more integrated and eliminate stigma. Dr Victoria Watsons LSTM Directors Catalyst Funded project is addressing this by understanding the barriers to HIV testing services and using this research to deliver a community tailored HIV self-testing pilot in Liverpool.
