Vienna 2010: IAC ends with hope and mixed feelings

Submitted by Prakash about 3 months ago

Promising speeches, brilliant presentations, moving films, breaking news, protests, music, colourful T shirts, hope, despair, condoms and vuvuzelas all featured at the 18th AIDS Conference in Vienna.

Like at all International AIDS Conferences, the week long programme was packed with plenty of activities and discussions.

Reflecting on the week, one must say that the discussions largely focused on funding related issues for the future. Particularly considering the current economic situation the world is going through.

Many positive signs did come out on funding including Bill Gates’ continuing commitment, President Obama’s video message related to PEPFAR funding and Austrian Government’s willingness to renew funding. However, by and large, the situation remains concerning.

Activists questioned the value of the conference: in the context of millions living without ART, the cost incurred at the event were significant. There is certainly a huge cost implication and for future conferences, cost-minimizing efforts need to be considered.

The CAPRISA 004 trial was the breaking news of the conference, raising hope and repositioning microbicides in the prevention approach. Science will work further on the trials and hopefully by the time next conference takes place, the gel will be in practice.

The hopes continued on the vaccine development as well during the conference. “We cant have a time-frame for a vaccine, but next 4 to 8 years are crucial and may take us to our goal” had said Gates to press in Vienna.

Treatment is the best way forward for prevention – something that came out repeatedly in talks.

The Russian speaking world of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where the growth of the epidemic is most rapid mainly through injecting drug use, was well represented at the conference.

As we now know Washington DC is going to be the host of AIDS 2012. There were mixed reaction to this. Some said, why not put it in a developing country, after a developed country already hosted it in 2010? Or, why not Africa, as it has been 10 years since the IAC was hosted by Durban (where millions of people are still grappling with HIV).

Nevertheless, the positive note is that the conference is returning to the US after over two decades, helped by the lifting of travel bans by Obama's administration. The US certainly sent a very warm welcome to the world and showed all the willingness needed as a host.

It will be interesting to see how things progress on the road to 2012 and weather the conference will actually have a full and diverse participation in DC.

Washington DC also has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the country, as high as 3%. It will be interesting to hear the experiences of activists and practitioners from the area.

Large conferences, such as this one, should take up some environmental responsibilities. I saw very little on that part in Vienna in terms of recycling and managing waste, water use and catering. The approach needs to be integrated. Something to look forward to in 2012.

Gates had said in the conference that the world has an historic opportunity to change the face of AIDS. The opportunity needs to be transformed into action and outcomes. The outcomes that we all want to see by 2012.

Keywords: AIDS 2010 Vienna 2010 Washington DC

Criminalization & Human Rights 0 comments Mail a friend