In a display of solidarity against HIV, leaders from the City of San Antonio and Bexar County reaffirmed their allegiance to an ambitious global initiative aiming to squash the epidemic by the close of the decade. Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and Mayor Ron Nirenberg, in a ceremony held on April 15, affixed their signatures to the Sevilla Agreement and Paris Declaration 4.0 – a pledge to supercharge services and education while cutting through the tangle of stigma and the high cost of care for those living with HIV.

"We are partners in this cause and pledge to work together on this important health issue to improve the lives of everyone in Bexar County. We are committed to supporting communities affected by HIV," Judge Sakai told the crowd. The city, which joined the Fast-Track Cities initiative back in 2017 as the first Texas community to do so, is now hitched to a stringent set of UN targets known as 95-95-95, which demands near-perfect knowledge of HIV status, treatment coverage, and viral suppression rates amongst those diagnosed.

Mayor Nirenberg emphasized the city’s zeal, "The City of San Antonio continues its steadfast commitment to ending HIV by executing strategies focused on prevention, treatment, and support," he said. "The time is now for San Antonio to do more, to be better, to engage people without shame or stigma." The commitment also rekindles the efforts of the End Stigma End HIV Alliance, a local collective spanning more than 25 organizations that are bending their backs to bolster not just collaboration, but community education on HIV in San Antonio.

Credited to the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) and Fast-Track Cities Institute (FTCI), CEO Dr. Jose M. Zuniga hailed the city's focused approach, “Our efforts to end the HIV epidemic must be guided by the voices and needs of communities most affected. Placing affected communities at the center of urban HIV responses is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity to advance effective, inclusive, and sustainable interventions aimed at curbing new infections and preventing AIDS-related deaths. I salute Judge Peter Sakai and Mayor Ron Nirenberg for their political leadership in affirming a shared dedication to placing the voices and needs of those most affected by HIV at the forefront of the HIV response in San Antonio and Bexar County.” He lauded the determined leadership of Judge Sakai and Mayor Nirenberg in prioritizing the needs and voices of those hardest hit by HIV.

For those looking to delve deeper into the ins and outs of the Fast-Track Cities initiative, the organization's aspirations, and progress can be tracked on their website.