Kaisernetwork.org Daily Video Round Up From XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 14
Canada's Governor General Michaelle Jean on Sunday welcomed an estimated 24,000 participants from more than 170 countries to the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto. Frika Chia Iskandar of the Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS asked delegates to consider the significance of this year's theme -- "A Time to Deliver." "It means that we are beyond words, beyond talk, beyond commitments. It is time for the real thing," Iskandar said. "At this conference we want to make changes, overcome the challenges and deliver what is most needed on the ground; deliver what is needed to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS; and to deliver prevention of HIV/AIDS programs and involve more young people because prevention is still possible."
While acknowledging there is still much more to deliver, UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot encouraged the audience to build upon the current successes of scaling up HIV prevention programs and access to treatment. "We have our first and perhaps our only opportunity to move the AIDS response into an entirely other league, where we build upon our emergency actions and put in place a long-term and sustainable response," Piot said.
Bill and Melinda Gates, co-founders of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, highlighted the need to put the power to prevent HIV in the hands of women and, in particular, to accelerate the development of microbicides that would allow women to protect themselves from contracting HIV. "No matter where she lives, who she is, or what she does -- a woman should never need her partner's permission to save her own life," Bill Gates said.
On Monday, Bill Gates and former President Clinton appeared together to discuss their priorities for ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Clinton emphasized the need to fight stigma. "If there is aggressive effort against stigma and an absolute guarantee you'll have the medicine, the cure you need, then we could have more people know their status, and I think more people would be willing to do whatever is necessary not to infect others," Clinton said. "I don't see how we're ever going to catch up if people aren't at least aware they could be giving the virus to other people."
At a session on women in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Melinda Gates also discussed overcoming stigma. "I think you need far more people talking out and actively saying 'I am HIV positive in my country; I'm living; I'm healthy; I'm on antiretrovirals,'" Melinda Gates said. "And I think as we get more of those examples we're going to start to break through stigma. I think we're just starting to see it now because it hasn't been that long that you could get ARVs."
Monday's events focused on respecting the needs and rights of HIV/AIDS-affected communities. Throughout the conference, participants also will hear about scientific advances like novel drug treatments and new prevention approaches, as well as the importance of leadership and accountability (Braden Balderas, kaisernetwork.org, 8/14).
A kaisernetwork.org daily video round up from the conference for Aug. 14 is available online.