In July 2025, Kigali will host the 13th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2025) — a key global event in the field of HIV research that brings together scientists, activists, and health system representatives from around the world. Topics will include the latest advances in treatment and prevention, as well as the challenges facing the global HIV response, including political and financial barriers.
Against this backdrop, it’s especially important not to lose sight of what was highlighted last year in Munich ahead of AIDS 2024, as part of the #PutPeopleFirst campaign — a global call to put people at the center of the HIV response. VirusOFF reminds us that this approach remains crucial: behind scientific data and strategies are real people — those living with HIV, those at risk, and those whose voices must be heard.
The urgency of this message is particularly clear in the context of statistics from Eastern Europe and Central Asia — the only region in the world where the number of new HIV cases continues to rise. In 2023 alone, approximately 140,000 new cases were reported, and AIDS-related deaths increased by a third. Of the estimated 2.1 million people living with HIV in the region, only half are receiving treatment, and just around 42% have achieved viral suppression. This means the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets remain out of reach as long as stigma, discrimination, limited access to therapy, and a lack of sustainable funding continue to undermine progress. It is especially concerning that 94% of new HIV cases occur among key and most vulnerable populations — those most often denied systemic support.
The #PutPeopleFirstEECA campaign, launched in 2024, emphasized the importance of recognizing the experiences and needs of key populations and communities in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Today, as we approach IAS 2025, that message is as urgent as ever:
- A sustainable HIV response is impossible without community engagement.
- Access to treatment and prevention must remain a right, not a privilege.
- Stigma and discrimination are still barriers that must be overcome.
The conference in Kigali is another opportunity to remember: people must remain at the heart of all decisions. This principle must unite scientific, political, and community efforts at every level.
#IAS2025 #PutPeopleFirst #HIVScience #EECAvoices