Charleston joins cities committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Charleston mayor John Tecklenburg joined several representatives from the Lowcountry hospitals and AIDS prevention groups to sign a declaration meant to reduce HIV infections and end AIDS related deaths in the Charleston area.

The document is called the “Paris Declaration” which includes other cities across the country committed to strengthening their response to HIV/AIDS.

The signing includes an agreement to try and reach the target that by 2030, 90 percent of people living with HIV will know their status, receive sustained anti-retroviral treatment and those receiving anti-retroviral treatment will have durable viral suppression.

The initiative was launched on World AIDS Day in 2014 in Paris where mayors from 27 cities in over 50 countries signed the Paris Declaration on “Fast-Track” cities.

Cities which have signed the declaration are expected to report on their progress annually and form a committee to focus on meeting certain objectives listed out in the declaration.

Charleston is one of the first 300 cities to sign the declaration worldwide and No. 24 in the U.S.