Denver Achieves First Major Milestone in Global Effort to End HIV/AIDS Epidemic

Less than a year after becoming only the fourth U.S. city to sign on to a global effort to end the AIDS Epidemic by 2030, Denver has become among the first cities in North America to attain the first major milestone of the United Nations 90-90-90 targets of having 90 percent of people living with HIV know their HIV status.

The announcement was made at a satellite meeting co-hosted by the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) at the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) taking place this week in Durban, South Africa.

Denver joins San Francisco, Amsterdam, Paris, and Kyiv in publishing 90-90-90 data documenting attainment of the first target. Data is available on the Fast-Track Cities website, http://fast-trackcities.org/denver.html.

“Denver has one of the most comprehensive and progressive programs that supports those living with HIV, “said Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “This achievement demonstrates how the collaborative work of all of our partners has contributed to achieving this important milestone.”

The Paris Declaration Agreement was launched in Paris on World AIDS Day in 2014 by 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), as part of an effort to dramatically reduce new HIV infections and future AIDS-related deaths through increasing testing, treatment and education.

In signing the Paris Declaration, Denver agreed to meet the following targets: 

·         90% of people living with HIV know their HIV status.

·         90% of people who are HIV-positive are in care.

·         90% of people who are in care have suppressed viral loads.

·         Zero discrimination, including stigma. 

Denver anticipates attaining the third 90 target, complete viral suppression among those in care, by 2017. To complete achievement of the 90-90-90 targets, a major focus for Metro Denver will now be on addressing the second target: supporting engagement in care for those living with HIV.