July 22, 2024 – The 25th International AIDS 2024 Conference, one of the largest and most important events in the fight against the HIV epidemic, kicked off today in Munich. The conference is held every two years and is the world’s largest forum for the exchange of knowledge, experience, and ideas between activists, scientists, health professionals, community organizations, and policy makers.
The event runs until July 26 and has attracted some 18,000 participants from around the world. The theme of AIDS 2024 calls on the global community to #PutPeopleFirst! As we previously wrote, ahead of AIDS2024 and in support of the global campaign, a regional awareness campaign called “Walls are not the answer! #PutPeopleFirstEECA” was launched with a focus on the EECA region.
At the opening ceremony, Sharon Lewin, President of the International AIDS Society (IAS), emphasized it, as well as the leading research and access to treatment in her opening remarks:
“Remember, putting people first means that whether in the design of clinical trials or implementing new policies and programmes, people living with and affected by HIV must be not just beneficiaries but actors driving our efforts We will hear a lot of important information during the conference. About the seventh case of a person cured after a bone marrow transplant. About vaccines. And we’ll also hear about a clinical trial of lenacapavir, which is an injection that can be given every six months.”
This year’s conference focused on the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region. A significant role in this focus is played by Andriy Klepikov, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Health and one of the conference board chairs, who is a strong supporter of initiatives targeting our region.
“Eastern Europe and Central Asia is the region most affected by epidemics these days, where only 50 percent of people are getting treatment, which is the lowest rate, according to UNAIDS. That is a very worrying signal. In our region, we are facing not only Russia’s war against Ukraine, but also a kind of hybrid war that this country is waging against evidence-based science. Ideology and stereotypes prevail over evidence-based interventions. No one in russia receives opioid substitution therapy because it is banned along with WHO recommended treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine. Access to clean needles and syringes is virtually non-existent, emphasizing the dire situation and the need to urgently address these problems.
Russia is also attempting to impose these restrictive policies on other countries in Central Asia and beyond, resulting in the brutalization and criminalization of LGBT people and the adoption of laws against foreign agents. We hope that this conference will have a catalytic effect and help countries improve their responses to HIV. Human rights mainstreaming and scientific solutions are critical to fighting the epidemic in this region. We can win together!”
As in previous years, the conference aims to present the latest scientific advances and research on HIV, discuss global strategies and policies to prevent the spread, and share experiences and best practices in treating and supporting people living with HIV. There will also be a focus on strengthening collaboration between governments, international organizations, and communities to achieve the UN’s goals of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
Winnie Binyamina, Executive Director of UNAIDS: “We call on leaders to take three steps that can put them on the path to achieving the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat. The first is to commit resources to the response. Support the aid you provide as part of that response to reach the end. “
“Second, make sure that the long-acting medicine now used for prevention and treatment are available to low- and middle-income countries now, not five, six or ten years from now. And finally, tackling the discrimination and stigma that drives most marginalized people away from life-saving services. That’s the third challenge. We need to get leaders, political leaders, to get on the right side of justice, to decriminalize same-sex relationships, to decriminalize sex work, to allow people to speak up, to fight stigma and discrimination, to speak out against hate. These are things that don’t cost money, but require political will. Those three things will lead us to success.”
Participants will also be able to take part in panel discussions on access to treatment and prevention, as well as visit exhibitions and poster sessions showcasing innovative solutions and initiatives. AIDS 2024 will offer many networking opportunities, allowing participants to connect with peers, share experiences, and collaborate on future projects: the program includes plenary sessions with world leaders in HIV, scientific symposia, and workshops on the latest research and developments.
Also, the conference will continue the #PutPeopleFirst campaign to mobilize the community in the fight against HIV. This initiative has already become a platform for sharing personal and professional stories that highlight the importance of prioritizing people in the response to HIV.
You can watch the report from the opening on our social media.
Learn more about Eastern Europe and Central Asia at AIDS 2024: aids2024.virusoff.info
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Live recording from our Instagram translation of opening ceremony. .