There are 10 cities in the UK that are already signed up to the declaration including London, Birmingham and Brighton.

The HIV Fast Track Cities initiative is a global partnership led by the Joint United Nations programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC).

The initiative brings stakeholders together such as political leaders, communities of interest, health and social care officials and service providers to coproduce co-ordinated city-wide responses to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030.

By joining the initiative, Coventry pledges to work towards achieving and sustaining the 95–95–95 targets:

• 95% of people living with HIV know their status
• 95% of those diagnosed receive sustained treatment
• % of people that receive HIV treatment being HIV virally suppressed to a level that the virus is undetectable, and therefore untransmittable (U=U)
• Zero HIV stigma and discrimination

Coventry already has a strong foundation of HIV prevention, testing, and care services. The HIV FastTrack Cities commitment brings renewed focus on joining together as Coventry City Council, the NHS, voluntary and community organisations, businesses and communities of interest to develop new approaches that:

• Improve awareness of HIV prevention, including the use of condoms and Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
• Increase awareness that taking HIV medication consistently as prescribed allows most people to achieve an undetectable level of the virus in the body, meaning that they cannot pass on the virus.
• Increase access to HIV testing in clinical and community settings
• End stigma and discrimination
• Ensure timely access to treatment and supporting people to maintain their treatment. 

Cllr Kamran Caan, Chair of the Coventry Health and Wellbeing Board, said:

“Improving residents’ health and wellbeing is a priority for Coventry which is why we are backing the HIV Fast-Track Cities initiative to push forward our fight against HIV.

“As well as putting an end to new infections, we are determined that HIV-related stigma and discrimination should also end. Improving the quality of life and wellbeing of those living with HIV in Coventry is vital and I’m proud to sign this commitment today.”

Cllr Rachel Lancaster, Lord Mayor of Coventry, said: “I’m delighted to pledge our support and sign up to the Fast-Track Cities Initiative. We are committed to working together to improve the health, quality of life and wellbeing of people living with HIV and to eliminate stigma and discrimination.”

Richard Easter, Director of Unity in Coventry, said: “We're delighted that Coventry has become a Fast Track City. Working together with other community organisations allows greater collaboration to bring increased and more accessible testing and support to the LGBTQ+ community here in Coventry.

“It's now time to start eradicating the stigma and myths that surround HIV and to get people talking more openly about it. Knowing your status and getting tested is easier than ever, but there are still too many people receiving a late diagnosis and this demonstrates there is still more that we can do.

“We're looking forward to the opportunities that becoming a HIV Fast Track City bring and to having conversations with our partners to help make testing even more accessible, whilst continuing to improve the support that we can offer to those affected by HIV.”

The launch aligns with national ambitions to end new HIV transmissions in England by 2030 and supports Coventry’s wider public health priorities around prevention, inclusion, and wellbeing.

Peer support worker, supporting the Opt Out Blood Borne Viruses BBV testing service at UHCW, added: HIV has been in the shadows for too long; now is the moment to bring this issue into the open.

“We must be relentless in our pursuit of real change and in inspiring awareness. Fast Track Cities provides a powerful solution to help us achieve this vision.”

Allison Duggal Director of Public Health at Coventry City Council, said:

“There is still more to do to challenge public misconceptions and judgements about HIV. These stigmatising beliefs can have a significant impact on the quality of life of people living with HIV and HIV prevention. Our HIV Fast Track commitments for Coventry include ending stigma as it has the potential to both improve psychological wellbeing as well as reducing anxieties about testing which result in late diagnoses and preventable deaths.”