Expert: Housing provision can reduce risk of HIV-related death

Housing provision can reduce the risk of HIV-related death.

Report informs that Jose Zuniga, president and CEO of Fast-Track Health, IAPAC and the Fast-Track Cities Institute, said this at an event titled "Azerbaijan: The Pulse of Healthy Homes," held as part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.

"When trying to transfer this framework to the field of housing provision, the main principle is that a healthy home also means a healthy neighborhood and a healthy community. In this regard, we are truly very pleased to be involved in this area, because, in a broader sense, we have already been part of this work for a long time.

"The reality is that when we started this work in the field of HIV 11 years ago, we looked at the data and saw that AIDS-related deaths were double-digit percentage points higher among people living with HIV who had inadequate housing conditions or were homeless. If you can provide these people with housing and create the necessary stability for them to consistently adhere to treatment and, most importantly, provide the shelter they need, you will see success. Of course, I could speak about this in more detail, but these are the key elements that make Fast-Track Cities successful, while also ensuring that equity remains at the center of our work," he said.