AIDS 2008: urging universal action

Human rights, gender issues and the strengthening of health systems are among the top issues of the AIDS 2008 – the XVII International AIDS Conference, which is joining 22,238 worldwide participants in Mexico City this week (3-8 August).

“AIDS 2008 is taking place at an unique moment in the epidemic, when there is widespread consensus on the urgency of ensuring access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010″, said Pedro Cahn, co-president of the AIDS 2008 and president of the International AIDS Society, in a press release.

However, Ban Ki-Moon, the secretary-general of the United Nations, in his speech on the opening of the meeting, called the attention to the fact that “most countries still have a long way to go to meet the goal they set two years ago at the United Nations General Assembly – the goal to scale up towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010″.

Ban Ki-Moon warmly congratulate the United States government on the new legislation that will allow for US$ 48 billion to be spent on the fight against Aids, TB and malaria over five years.    

Luisa Massarani, SciDev.Net/Latin America and the Caribbean

Too much money for HIV/AIDS?

Some voices around the world have called attention to the high budgets dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS, to the detriment of efforts to fight other diseases.

The figures are not insignificant. About US$10 billion is currently allocated to the fight against HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries worldwide, says the journalist Jon Cohen, speaking at a journalist training session organised by the National Press Foundation (1 August).

Craig McClure, executive director of the International AIDS Society, which organises the International AIDS conference, defended the high budgets.

“The AIDS movement has had a global impact on the health”, he said.

The issue should be raised again at when the International AIDS Conference starts today (3 August) in Mexico City.

Luisa Massarani, SciDev.Net/Latin America and the Caribbean

‘Men who have sex with men’ again a big issue for HIV/AIDS

In the 1980s, when the HIV was identified for the first time, the prevalence of the HIV/AIDS among homosexuals was so high that the disease was called “the gay plague”. The scenario changed, and it showed that the virus and the disease can be – how to say – “democratic” (!), affecting straight men, women and children.

However, scientific data have been showing that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among “men who have sex with men” (MSM) is becoming higher and higher.

In Latin American, the prevalence is 33 times higher than in the rest of the population, according to Chris Beyrer, director of Johns Hopkins Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Program, in a presentation to journalists at the National Press Foundation training in Mexico City.

Africa is the most markedly understudied region in this respect. The criminalisation of the sex between individuals of the same gender (still occuring in 85 countries who are UN members, several of them in Africa) does not help to understand the situation better.

“There is an urgent need for programs for prevention, treatment, care and surveillance among MSM”, says Beyrer.

Indeed, this will be an issue discussed widely at AIDS 2008.

Luisa Massarani, SciDev.Net/Latin America and the Caribbean

Universal access to HIV/Aids treatment?

How much universal should be the access to treatment to HIV/Aids?

According to Luis Soto Ramirez, co-chair of AIDS 2008, in his talk with the journalists in the National Press Foundation training for journalists, hold on 29 July-1 August, this issue should be carefully considered:

“If we fix the price too low for the drugs given for treating HIV/Aids, the pharmaceutical companies will have no interest in funding the development of new drugs”, he said.

Indeed a controversial issue, in a context in which several people and organisations from developing countries have been strongly supporting the universal access to treatment on HIV/Aids.

A (hot) debate is planned to be held during AIDS 2008.

Luisa Massarani, SciDev.Net/Latin America and the Caribbean

AIDS 2008: a warm-up for journalists

About 55 journalists – including myself – from 41 countries arrived in Mexico City the week before AIDS 2008 – the XVII International AIDS Conference, invited by the National Press Foundation (NPF). We are participating of the Global Media Training Program on HIV/AIDS, a NPF’s Journalist to Journalist Program.

The training includes four days of lectures, practical activities, discussion with the organisers of the AIDS 2008, and a visit to Clinica Condessa, a clinic specializing in services for people living with HIV/AIDS, in preparation for the big conference.

A taster in advance of the big meeting starting this Sunday…

Luisa Massarani, SciDev.Net/Latin America and the Caribbean

AIDS 2008 in figures

• US$ 25 million were spent in the AIDS 2008 – the XVII International AIDS Conference
• 8 per cent of the total budget is provided by pharmaceutical companies
• 10,500 abstracts were submitted
• 4,972 papers will be presented
• 103 later breaker abstracts will be presented
• 22,238 participants from 188 countries are expected for AIDS 2008
• 6,847 Latin Americans will be participating of AIDS 2008

“The nice thing of this conference is that it mixes everyone: scientists, leaders of community, people infected with HIV, etc etc”, Luis Soto Ramirez, co-chair of AIDS 2008, told a group of journalists.

AIDS 2008: the XVII International AIDS Conference

Next Sunday (3-8 August) AIDS 2008 – the XVII International AIDS Conference begins in Mexico City, Mexico, which the organisers declare the “world’s largest, most comprehensive HIV/Aids conference”.

AIDS 2008 will provide many opportunities for researchers to present important new scientific research and for productive, structured dialogue on the major challenges facing the global response to HIV/AIDS.

It’s a conference which aims “to promote scientific excellence and inquiry, encourages individual and collective action and dialogue, and fosters accountability” on HIV/AIDS.

According to the organizers, “AIDS 2008 will provide a forum in which key scientific and practice-based research, best practice, lessons learned and gaps in knowledge are addressed”.

SciDev.Net’s Latin American and the Caribbean coordinator, Luisa Massarani, is in Mexico city eating the tasty (and spicy) food, visiting the (fascinating) Aztecs and other pre-colombian culture vestiges and, of course, participating of the discussions around HIV/AIDS. Keep checking this blog for the latest news.