IAPAC Launches First-of-its-Kind Fast-Track Cities Podcast at AIDS 2018 to Tell the Story of the Urban AIDS Response from its Beginning to Today

Episodes 1 Through 3 of Season 1’s 12 Episodes
Now Available on iTunes and Google Play

 

Amsterdam, Netherlands (July 24, 2018) – The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) today launched an innovative podcast series focused on telling the story of the urban AIDS response globally. The podcast series is named, Fast-Track Cities, after an initiative of the same name that is working with more than 250 cities worldwide that are accelerating their local AIDS responses to end AIDS as a public health threat. Through compelling storytelling, each episode features interviews from some of the most prominent voices in the global AIDS movement – including people living with and affected by HIV, clinicians, scientists, government officials, representatives from community organizations, and many more. The Fast-Track Cities podcast was officially launched today during a Fast- Track Cities reception held in conjunction with the 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) and with the first three episodes of its 12-episode first season now available for free download on iTunes and Google Play.

“After spending the last almost four years focused on advancing the Fast-Track Cities objectives, we want to give voice to the inspiring stories about the urban AIDS response that uniquely vary city-by-city,” said Dr. José M. Zuniga, President and CEO, IAPAC. “We are excited to launch the Fast-Track Cities podcast to tell these stories in a powerful way through the podcast medium. Our goal is not only to educate our audience about HIV/AIDS globally, but to share the best practices that cities working in partnership with communities are advancing to ensure that no one is left behind as we strive to end AIDS as a public health threat. I would like to personally thank everyone who graciously participated in the first season as we could not have done this without you and your personal anecdotes.”

The genesis of this podcast was born out of the successes that IAPAC observed working with cities that form the Fast-Track Cities initiative, which was launched on December 1, 2014. To date, the initiative has catalyzed high HIV burden cities around the world towards attaining the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 and zero stigma targets by 2020. With more than 250 cities now having signed the Paris Declaration on Fast- Track Cities Ending AIDS, and unprecedented momentum achieved by most Fast-Track Cities, there is a powerful story to be told regarding a reinvigorated urban AIDS response.

The Fast-Track Cities podcast’s first three episodes include a history of the HIV epidemic from the perspective of cities such as Amsterdam, Cape Town, Nairobi, New York City, and San Francisco (Episode 1); an overview of the science of HIV, with a review of the current state of HIV prevention and treatment interventions (Episode 2); and a description of the Fast-Track Cities initiative, from its genesis in 2014 through to the work that it is advancing today.

“Given the current global push to end AIDS as a public health threat, it is critical that the voices of local everyday heroes engaged in accelerated urban AIDS responses are heard and that their stories be told,” said Dr. Zuniga. “We must do everything we can to protect and gain funding for high HIV burden cities; ensure sustained political will; employ innovation to scale-up HIV prevention, linkage to care and access to treatment; and eliminate barriers such as stigma that jeopardize sustained progress. It is our goal that the Fast-Track Cities podcast series will leverage the successes of almost four decades of urban AIDS responses and spur conversation and advance positive action in every city of the world.”

Season 1 Episode Guide:

Episode # Title
1 Darkest Days (launched at AIDS 2018 and available for free download

on iTunes and Google Play)
2 HIV: Science, Treatment and the Future (launched at AIDS 2018 and

available for free download on iTunes and Google Play)
3 Fast-Track Cities: The Urban Response (launched at AIDS 2018 and

available for free download on iTunes and Google Play)
4 North American Cities – Part 1 (San Francisco and New York City)
5 North American Cities – Part 2 (Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Birmingham)
6 Caribbean Cities (Kingston and Port-au-Prince)
7 Latin American Cities (Buenos Aires, Mexico City, São Paulo)
8 European Cities – Part 1 (Berlin, Kyiv, Paris)
9 European Cities – Part 2 (Amsterdam, London, Madrid)
10 Asia-Pacific Cities (Bangkok and Melbourne)
11 African Cities – Part 1 (Abidjan, Nairobi, Maputo)
12 African Cities – Part 2 (Durban, Kampala, Kigali)

 IAPAC has curated significant content for the Fast-Track Cities podcast and plans to add on a second season to share many more powerful urban AIDS response stories across every region the world, several of which are untold. Additionally, IAPAC is looking for other stories and perspectives, as well as feedback on podcast episodes, which can be shared by emailing iapac@iapac.org. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please visit the Fast-Track Cities Podcast webpage.

About the Fast-Track Cities Initiative

Fast-Track Cities is an approach for cities to accelerate their local AIDS responses, supported by four core partners – IAPAC, UNAIDS, UN-Habitat, and the City of Paris – in collaboration with local, national, regional and international implementing and technical partners.

Combining the efforts of city governments, Mayors, affected communities, local health departments, and clinical/service providers, the initiative aims to build upon, strengthen and leverage existing HIV programs and resources to accelerate locally coordinated, city- wide responses to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Visit www.fast-trackcities.org for more information.

About IAPAC

The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) represents more than 30,000 clinicians and allied health care professionals in over 150 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of and increase access to HIV prevention, care, treatment, and support services for men, women, and children affected by and living with HIV and comorbid conditions (e.g., tuberculosis, viral hepatitis). For more information about IAPAC and its 32- year history of marshaling the health professions to end the HIV epidemic, please visit www.iapac.org.

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For more information:

Lindsay G. Deefholts
Global Communications and Advocacy Consultant
ldeefholts@gmail.com
+ 1 416 301 7966

HIV: Stigma, Misconceptions and Complacency Remain Critical Barriers to Stopping the Virus

 

CONTACT: Stephen Head, Media (EU)
+44 (0) 7768 705945

 

- New Survey of >24,000 People in Europe Reveals HIV Stigma Still Widespread -

July 23, 2018 – Results from a new, large-scale, Europe-wide survey of over 24,000 people in 12 countries[1] demonstrate that, despite significant progress over almost four decades, HIV-related stigma persists as a major challenge for people living with HIV (PLHIV). While experts in the field, PLHIV and allies recognize that stigma and discrimination are unfounded, the Is HIV Sorted? survey has revealed there is still much work that needs to be done among the general public. Negative societal attitudes towards PLHIV pose a barrier to achieving the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 treatment targets by 2020, as stigma discourages testing and can impede PLHIV’s access to and engagement and retention in HIV care.[i]

HIV transmission remains a significant concern across the European continent. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2016 more than 160,000 people were diagnosed with HIV in the European region. This is the highest number of people ever newly diagnosed in one year, with the greatest number of new diagnoses in the Eastern European region.[ii]

Initial results from the Is HIV Sorted? survey, jointly conducted by the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), the core technical partner of the Fast-Track Cities initiative, and Gilead Sciences, were released today at the 22nd International AIDS Conference, Amsterdam. Although results from the survey were broadly consistent across Europe, there were some notable differences between Eastern[2] and Western[3] regions:[iii]

  • Across Europe a significant proportion of respondents (68%) would not feel comfortable dating someone who is living with HIV (66% in Western Europe and 74% in Eastern Europe)
  • In Eastern Europe, over half (52%) of respondents have negative attitudes about working with PLHIV; around a quarter (24%) in Western Europe also have the same negative attitude
  • Across Europe half (50%) of respondents believe that PLHIV should not be allowed to work as healthcare professionals
  • In Eastern Europe only one in five (20%) respondents believe that PLHIV should be able to do any job, regardless of their status; a quarter (25%) believe that PLHIV should not even be allowed to work in a store

Successful HIV treatment and management that yields an undetectable level of HIV in the blood (viral suppression) means that the virus is virtually untransmittable from HIV-positive to -negative sexual partners (the premise of the Undetectable=Untransmitable [U=U] message). However:3

  • Only around one in 10 respondents (12%) understood the meaning of ‘undetectable,’ with approximately one third believing that being undetectable means that you can still transmit HIV to someone else
  • More than half (53%) of respondents believed that it would still be possible to transmit HIV to others, even if the treatment was having the best effect possible (viral suppression)
  • Only approximately half (47%) of respondents were aware that it is possible for women living with HIV who are undetectable to conceive HIV negative children

“Although we have taken significant steps forward in addressing HIV-related stigma experienced by PLHIV, the Is HIV Sorted? survey results demonstrate that we cannot be complacent,” said Dr. José M. Zuniga, President/CEO, International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC). “There is still a significant lack of understanding about HIV. Fear of stigma is a major barrier to people getting tested, which is the first step necessary to achieve the 90-90-90 targets. We must expand our education and awareness-raising efforts to ensure the wider public are more informed, so that people can live positively with HIV.”

The survey also found worrying levels of complacency with respect to HIV prevention. Almost a quarter of respondents said they had a new sexual partner in the last year but, of these respondents, only 44% always used a condom, and almost one in four respondents rarely or never used a condom with a new sexual partner.3

Encouragingly respondents, particularly those in Eastern Europe, appear to believe that HIV is still a significant issue, with nearly half (47%) across Europe believing that HIV is still a major health concern and less than one in five (18%) Eastern European respondents believing that HIV is under control in their country. Linked to this, the majority of respondents (73% in Western Europe and 82% in Eastern Europe) believe that funding for HIV should be a priority for their government or health service.3

“These data are a wake-up call to all of us involved in efforts to attain the 90-90-90 targets. 2020 is just two short years away,” continued IAPAC’s Dr. Zuniga. “We must not allow HIV to be deprioritised - either in the halls of government or in the minds of the general public. These data are valuable to initiatives such as Fast-Track Cities enabling us to work with local stakeholders to eliminate misperceptions about HIV, strengthen primary HIV prevention efforts and maximise use of the tools that we have to treat and prevent HIV infection.”

Gregg Alton, Executive Vice President International Operations & Corporate Affairs, Gilead Sciences, said, “These results reinforce the critical need for the whole HIV community to work together to tackle the significant issues that still remain in HIV prevention, diagnosis and care. We hope that these results will contribute to robust and productive discussions at this conference, as we focus on breaking down barriers and building bridges to reach key populations, and ensure that no-one is forgotten as we collectively work to stop the virus.”

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- Notes to editors –

About Is HIV Sorted?

The Is HIV sorted? Survey was commissioned by the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), the core technical partner of the Fast Track Cities initiative, and Gilead Sciences. The survey respondents included 18,169 HIV-negative[4] adults living in nine countries in Western Europe, including seven with Fast-Track Cities (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, The Netherlands and Switzerland) and 6,043 HIV-negative§ adults living in three countries in Eastern Europe, two with Fast-Track Cities (Romania, Ukraine and the Russian Federations). The survey aimed to provide insights into the general publics’ awareness, perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes towards HIV. The survey was fielded in June 2018 by the independent market research company Opinium. Additional survey data will be made available during 2018 and 2019.

About Fast-Track Cities

Cities bear a large share of the global HIV burden. In countries with large HIV epidemics, the numbers of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in urban areas are so high that effective city-level action is likely to influence national outcomes. Even where an HIV epidemic is smaller, cities are home to large numbers of people belonging to key populations at higher risk of HIV infection but which often receive limited attention in HIV programs. The Fast-Track Cities is a global partnership between more than 250 high HIV burden cities, the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and the city of Paris. The initiative was launched on World AIDS Day 2014 in Paris. For more information please visit: http://www.fast-trackcities.org.

About the UNAIDS 90-90-90 Targets

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) asserts that attaining the 90-90-90 targets is a means of placing national and municipal jurisdictions on a trajectory towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The targets translate into:

  • 90% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) knowing their HIV status
  • 90% of PLHIV who know their HIV-positive status on antiretroviral therapy (ART)
  • 90% of PLHIV on ART achieving viral suppression

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

For nearly 30 years, Gilead has been a leading innovator in the field of HIV, driving advances in treatment, prevention and cure research. Today, it’s estimated that more than 11.5 million people living with HIV globally receive antiretroviral therapy provided by Gilead or one of the company’s generic manufacturing partners.

For more information on Gilead Sciences, please visit the company’s website at www.gilead.com, follow Gilead on Twitter (@GileadSciences) or call Gilead Public Affairs at 1-800-GILEAD-5 or 1-650-574-3000.

 

References

[1] The 12 countries included 9 with Fast-Track Cities: Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine and United Kingdom

[2] ‘Eastern Europe’; Romania, Russia, Ukraine (n=6,043)

[3] ‘Western Europe’; Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom (n=18,169)

[4] Self-described

[i] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HIV Stigma Fact Sheet. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/actagainstaids/pdf/campaigns/lsht/cdc-hiv-TogetherStigmaFactSheet.pdf [last accessed July 2018]

[ii] ECDC. HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe 2017. Available at https://ecdc.europa.eu/sites/portal/files/documents/20171127-Annual_HIV_Report_Cover%2BInner.pdf [last accessed July 2018]

[iii] Opinium. Is HIV sorted survey (sample: 18,169). June – July 2018. Survey commissioned by the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) and Gilead Sciences.

 

IAPAC mourns the passing of Mark A. Wainberg, PhD

IAPAC mourns the passing of Canadian HIV researcher, Mark A. Wainberg, PhD, who identified lamivudine (3TC) as effective against HIV, fought HIV denialism, advocated global scale-up of antiretroviral therapy, and promoted the right of HIV-vulnerable people to live free of social intolerance. Click here to read IAPAC’s statement.

IAPAC launches Recommendations for the Rapid Expansion of HIV Self-Testing in Fast-Track Cities

IAPAC launched Recommendations for the Rapid Expansion of HIV Self-Testing in Fast-Track Cities during a joint Brazilian National STI, HIV/AIDS & Viral Hepatitis Program – IAPAC meeting of that country’s cities held January 26, 2017, in Brasília. Developed in collaboration with ASLM, the recommendations promote interventions to break down barriers to this testing technology and promote linkage to HIV care and prevention. Click here to access the recommendations.

IAPAC recognizes 150 individuals at 30th anniversary commemoration

IAPAC recognized 150 individuals, 12 posthumously, who have influenced its mission, vision, and programs over the association’s three-decade history. The “IAPAC 150” were announced at IAPAC’s 30th anniversary commemoration, held October 13, 2016, in Geneva. The “IAPAC 150” are a diverse group of global health leaders, clinicians and researchers, public health specialists, and people living with HIV/AIDS and their advocates from within affected communities. Click here to read the “IAPAC 150” announcement press release.

IAPAC launches Fast-Track Cities global web portal

IAPAC launched the Fast-Track Cities global web portal and five city dashboards – Amsterdam, Denver, Kyiv, Paris, and San Francisco – at AIDS 2016 in Durban, South Africa. The web-based monitoring and evaluation platforms allow participating cities to monitor and report progress against 90-90-90 and zero stigma and discrimination targets. Click here to read the launch press release, or here to access the web portal and city dashboards. You may also click here to access an animated video that navigates through the web portal and a city dashboard, highlighting the wealth of data and information that are mapped and visualized.

IAPAC and Global Commission on Drug Policy release editorial on eve of 2016 UN Genaral Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem

An editorial authored by IAPAC and Global Commission on Drug Policy representatives and released on the eve of the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem calls for UN member-states to take into account the heavy toll people who use drugs and those living with HIV pay due to discriminatory drug policies as they deliberate April 19-21, 2016. Click here to access a pre-print of the editorial.

IAPAC and the Prevention Access Campaign

IAPAC and the Prevention Access Campaign announced a partnership on October 19, 2017, to educate clinicians and allied health professionals about the Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U) message. The partnership’s objective is to destigmatize HIV by promoting the scientific evidence that people living with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy and have an undetectable viral load are incapable of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners. Click here to view the partnership announcement press release.

Fast-Track Cities Initiatives well represented at IAS 2017

The Fast-Track Cities initiative was well represented at IAS 2017 in Paris last month. In addition to a panel session reflecting the experiences of five Fast-Track Cities, the 2017 UNAIDS Global Update (Ending AIDS: Progress Towards the 90-90-90 Targets) featured the initiative to promote accelerated urban AIDS responses striving to attain the 90-90-90 Targets. IAPAC also launched three Fast-Track City dashboards – Bangkok, Nairobi County, and New Orleans – and presented two Fast-Track Cities-themed posters related to 90-90-90 and HIV care continuum data and expanding access to HIV self-testing. Click here to view a video from the Fast-Track Cities panel session at IAS 2017.