TAMPA, Fla — Editor's note: The above video is from 2019.
Tampa is joining the fight to end the HIV epidemic within the community.
On Friday, Mayor Jane Castor signed an executive order that will make Tampa the second Florida city to join a network of more than 350 cities "committed to ending their urban HIV epidemics by 2030."
City leaders say Tampa is the 33rd U.S. Fast-Track City to commit to eradicating the epidemic.
Miami joined the Fast-Track Cities network in 2015, according to leaders.
President/CEO of Fast-Track Cities Institute (FTCI) and International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) Dr. José M. Zuniga and Executive Director of Empath Partners in Care (EPIC) Joy Winheim are partnering with Castor on this initiative.
City leaders say EPIC provides "comprehensive, wrap-around services for people living with HIV throughout Tampa Bay."
“As a Fast-Track City, we will work closely with communities, service providers, law enforcement and other partners to ensure marginalized and vulnerable populations have the resources they need to learn their status and if necessary, seek treatment,” Mayor Jane Castor said. “By joining this group of Fast-Track cities, Tampa will have the support we need to help end our urban HIV epidemic.”
Cities joining the Fast-Track Cities network aim to achieve UNAIDS “95-95-95-95” HIV programmatic targets, which include:
- 95 percent of people living with HIV knowing their status
- 95 percent of those who know their status taking antiretroviral therapy (ART)
- 95 percent of those on ART achieving viral suppression, which means the virus is undetectable and therefore, cannot be sexually transmitted.
- 95 percent of at-risk individuals to use combination HIV prevention.
“We proudly welcome the City of Tampa to the Fast-Track Cities network," Dr. José M. Zuniga said. "We also applaud Mayor Jane Castor’s commitment to a fully-inclusive approach to ending the city’s HIV epidemic by 2030. Ultimately, the meaningful engagement of affected communities is a hallmark of successful urban HIV responses, which will guide Tampa’s efforts to leave no one behind.”