The 25th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2024), held in Munich in July, brought together more than 11,000 participants from 101 countries, including scientists, NGOs, health professionals, and activists. This year, sessions and discussions covered key issues related to current challenges and advances in the HIV response, including innovations in treatment and prevention, policy support, and efforts to overcome stigma, and the theme of AIDS 2024 was Put People First. This is a call for the global community to focus on the needs of people, especially those living with HIV or at greatest risk of infection. The campaign of the same name brought together scientific breakthroughs, activism, political will, and global media to make cutting-edge medical advances accessible to all, regardless of region or social status.
AIDS 2024 paid special attention to Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), where the HIV situation remains one of the most critical in the world. Over the past 10 years, the region has experienced a rapid increase of 48% in new HIV cases and a 32% increase in AIDS-related deaths. High rates of late diagnoses and low viral suppression rates among people living with HIV are far from the 95-95-95 target and underscore the urgency of the problem. The main obstacles to an effective HIV response in the region are limited access to treatment, harm reduction programs, and prevention measures, as well as social and financial barriers. The situation is exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has caused unplanned internal and external displacement of people and additional strain on existing HIV treatment programs. According to Andriy Klepikov, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine), Co-Chair of AIDS 2024, member of the IAS Governing Board, and Editor of the special issue of the Journal of the International AIDS Society: “The region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia faces unique challenges, but it also offers opportunities to introduce new evidence-based interventions that can make a difference. His words emphasize the importance of integrating best practices in treatment and prevention in the countries most affected by the HIV epidemic, such as online services to provide support to emigrants, the introduction of telemedicine, and the use of artificial intelligence in providing relevant care.
The Journal of the International AIDS Society “HIV Epidemic in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Challenges and Opportunities” describes the main problems of the region and proposes solutions focused on supporting key populations affected by the epidemic. In particular, it highlights the role of non-profit organizations, which play a crucial role in crises with the expertise and resilience needed to adapt services to the changing needs of their communities.
One of the highlights of the conference was the discussion of new approaches to treating HIV and preventing its transmission. Truly phenomenal results were presented for the HIV cure case of the “Berlin Patient” who received a stem cell transplant, which may be key to future genetic therapies. New long-term injectable prophylaxis methods such as lenacopavir have demonstrated 100% protection among women in studies. However, issues of affordability of these drugs for low- and middle-income countries sparked heated discussions at the conference. As former International AIDS Society (IAS) President Sharon Levine noted in one of her speeches, “Medical breakthroughs only matter when the people who need these drugs can access them.”
Funding is one of the key obstacles to achieving global goals to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. According to UNAIDS, international resources for the HIV response in 2023 were 20 percent lower than in 2013, and the current funding gap is about $9.5 billion. The new UNAIDS report calls on country leaders to develop sustainable plans for the HIV response to 2030 and beyond, including creating an enabling legal environment, supporting community-led HIV responses, and increasing domestic funding. According to Winnie Bianima, Executive Director of UNAIDS: “Programmes need to focus on people most affected by HIV, who are often the most marginalized and vulnerable. Community-based organizations must be adequately funded, supported, and empowered to provide services to people affected by HIV. Barriers of stigma and discrimination must be broken down.” However, many countries continue to prove their commitment to the chosen course successfully – an example of political support was the opening of AIDS 2024 by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that the country will join the Global Partnership to Eliminate HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination. Munich was announced as a new member of the Fast-Track Cities program.
At the closing session of the conference, Beatrice Greenstein officially assumed the position of President of the International AIDS Society (IAS), succeeding Sharon Levine. In her opening remarks, she expressed her hope for the continued work towards the elimination of HIV, emphasizing that: “While we have made significant progress, there is still much work to be done, and we need to strengthen our collaboration to achieve the global goals”. Her words summarize the challenges facing the global community and the importance of consolidating efforts in the coming years.
***Throughout the conference, VirusOFF, the official media partner of AIDS 2024, actively covered the key events of this large-scale event, sharing news, results, and analysis with the regional and global communities. The team representatives participated in various sessions and discussions, emphasizing the importance of access to treatment and prevention for EECA countries. We thank you for your attention to our work and your support in the fight against the HIV epidemic in the region!