20/06/2024
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alliance-for-public-health_four-albanian-cities-kolonja-durr%C3%ABs-pogradec-activity-7209588346266763264-EOZb?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Four Albanian cities — Kolonja, Durrës, Pogradec, and Shkodra—have signed the Paris Declaration on AIDS, committing to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. By signing the declaration, the mayors have committed to achieving the 95-95-95 targets by 2025 and have called on other municipalities in Albania, including the capital, Tirana, to join this effort.
Inspired by the success of more than 550 major cities around the world, Albanian cities are ready for decisive action. By signing the declaration, the mayors have committed to achieving the 95-95-95 targets by 2025.
To fulfill their commitments, the cities have developed various action plans based on their local circumstances. For instance, the Municipality of Durrës plans to increase investments in methadone maintenance therapy, aiming to expand the number of people benefiting from such services by 10% each year.
The Municipalities of Pogradec and Kolonja are focused on raising awareness among migrant populations to increase HIV testing rates in these regions. As border cities with a significant male population migrating for work, ensuring these communities are well-informed and have access to necessary health services is crucial.
Finally, the Municipality of Shkodra aims to foster a partnership with Podgorica in Montenegro to exchange experiences and best practices in developing the "Healthy Houses'' model, which has been successful in the neighboring country. The "Healthy Houses'' initiative is a free social service providing psychosocial support to citizens. It focuses on improving the quality of life, reducing risks, and offering support to socially vulnerable groups. The service addresses a range of issues, including HIV, domestic violence, addiction, and services for LGBTQ+ people and others.
Albania has a low HIV prevalence rate but faces an increasing number of reported new HIV cases. The total number of cases diagnosed from 1993 to 2023 is 1,716, with 113 new cases diagnosed in 2023 alone. The available data are based on HIV testing, while only a small proportion of the population is being tested for HIV, especially among key populations. Additionally, most HIV testing is carried out in the late stages of infection (about 60% of the new reported cases), hence the official figures reported do not represent the actual infection rate.
Since 2019, 21 municipalities from Southeastern Europe have joined the Fast-Track Cities movement.
More: https://bit.ly/4clZ7dW
José M. Zuniga | Fast-Track Cities Institute | Tetiana Deshko | UNAIDS | Eamonn Murphy | Olimbi Hoxhaj |
Four Albanian cities — Kolonja, Durrës, Pogradec, and Shkodra—have signed the Paris Declaration on AIDS, committing to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. By signing the declaration, the mayors have committed to achieving the 95-95-95 targets by 2025 and have called on other municipa...
