Fast-Track Cities
On November 1, 2023, Maastricht signed the Paris declaration and the city thus joins ‘Fast-Track Cities’. Maastricht does this through ‘Limburg4Zero’, an innovative collaboration between policy, practice and research throughout Limburg, with the aim of stopping HIV and AIDS and promoting the sexual health of all Limburgers. This milestone was celebrated together with Maastricht UMC+ and GGD Zuid Limburg, initiator of Limburg4Zero.
A global network
‘Fast-Track Cities’ is a network of more than 500 cities worldwide committed to HIV prevention and knowledge sharing. Lees in the council information letter what this network does. In the Netherlands this concerns Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, and now also Maastricht as ambassador for Limburg! The Limburg4Zero team is proud and happy that Maastricht is supporting this important goal, says Nicole Dukers-Muijrers, project leader of Limburg4Zero. Political will is crucial and cooperation is necessary for a targeted policy to bring the whole of Limburg and the Netherlands to zero new HIV infections by 2030.
An achievable goal
This goal is also achievable. In Limburg, 94 percent of people with HIV have currently been tested and 94 percent of them are being treated, of which 96 percent have suppressed the virus to such an extent that they can no longer transmit it. Limburg is therefore well on its way to achieving the international UNAIDS goals for 2030. But we are not there yet because new HIV infections occur in Limburg every year and half of them are diagnosed late. HIV can be treated effectively and the virus can then no longer be transmitted. This is also called n=n, not measurable=not transferable. Starting treatment as soon as possible after infection – so after a test – gives the very best result for your own health and that of others.
Prevention
We can stop HIV thanks to the efforts within Limburg4Zero, by deploying and combining effective low-threshold and accessible HIV prevention strategies, including HIV and STD testing, PrEP (the HIV prevention pill), treatment and tailor-made advice by specialized doctors and nurses and through education to reduce existing prejudices and promote sexual health. We are currently focusing on a new preventive offering to further lower the barriers to care, with innovative remote sexual health care.
Home test offer
This remote care is in addition to the preventive care on location and a person can choose which offer suits them best. The evaluation of the implementation shows that the home offering appears to be successful and reaches people who have not previously been in contact with HIV prevention. Currently, the home test offer is suitable for men who have sex with men. In the future we will also involve other groups.
Limburg4Zero is a partnership between policy, practice and research, with municipalities (municipality of Maastricht as ambassador), GGD Zuid Limburg (as initiator and driving force), GGD Noord-Limburg, general practitioners, Maastricht UMC+ Next Step, Maastricht University, social organizations, COC, Soaaids Nederland/AidsFonds and the Academic Workshop for Public Health Limburg.
2023-11-02 16:46:17
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