KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) this morning signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to enable “Fast Track Kingston”, which targets the HIV/AIDS community.

The MOU is a part of the Fast- Track Cities initiative, which is a global partnership between cities and municipalities around the world.

KSAMC said other partners include United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, International Association of Providers of AIDS Care and civil society.

According to KSAMC, the initiative’s targets include achieving zero stigma, ensuring that 90 per cent of all people living with HIV will know their status and receive sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART) and ensuring that 90 per cent of all HIV-diagnosed people receiving sustained ART will achieve viral suppression.

KSAMC noted that the city of Kingston signed the Paris Declaration on December 1, 2014 which has allowed mayors and other elected leaders to join forces with public health departments and affected communities in over 300 cities and municipalities to action a commitment to end the HIV, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis epidemics by 2030.

“Cities need to execute deliberate planning with specific outcomes in order to survive, adapt and prosper regardless of stresses and shocks,” Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams stated in his keynote address. 

KSAMC added that Fast Track Kingston has also taken a holistic approach for health services in the Shelter Health Programme which has been tailored for the homeless population in Kingston and St Andrew. The corporation said the programme will expand services to include mental health and chronic diseases.

KSAMC further noted that environmental sanitation is also being included in the programme in light of the various public health challenges that exist with dengue and other vector borne diseases.

“The KSAMC has always and will continue to be an advocate for a clean, safe city. The healthier, more resilient city can only be achieved when we all come together and work in harmony to achieve the common goal which is to make Kingston the Pearl of the Antilles,” Williams stated.