MONTREAL –
A major AIDS conference in Montreal highlighted the huge advances made in HIV research and also managed to unite scientists and activists despite visa problems, organizers say.
Dr Jean-Pierre Routy, local co-chair of the AIDS 2022 conference, said the biggest breakthrough presented was research showing that a single injection of a long-acting antiretroviral drug could prevent people from contracting HIV for two months , changing pills every day.
Other research presented at the five-day conference, which ended Tuesday, showed that a cure for HIV is possible and that steps are being taken toward it, even if progress is slow, he said.
“The progress in knowledge is enormous. It hasn’t led to a cure today, but we’re getting closer,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.
But when the conference ended, speakers often cited delays and visa denials that prevented hundreds of delegates from attending, including people scheduled to present at the conference and officials from the International AIDS Society, the HIV specialist association that organized the conference.
Rutty said he was “disappointed” with the Canadian government, but that people from 172 countries were able to attend and that the majority of attendees were from developing countries.
Tinashe Rufurwadzo, director of programs, governance and management at Y+ Global, an international organization of HIV-positive youth, said that while there was a great exchange at the conference, some young activists were missing.
“It’s a bit of a bittersweet thing. We were able to connect with people personally, but there are other critical voices that we missed at this conference,” he said.
Attendees had the opportunity to meet government officials and pharmaceutical company executives, something that would not otherwise be possible for young activists.
“The only place we can reach them is here when we have coffee after the sessions when people are easily accessible,” he said.
Although the conference was held in a hybrid fashion, with remote participants able to watch most sessions online, Rufurwadzo said the high cost of data in many African countries limited access and that people participating virtually could not participate as fully as those , which were present in a person.
Ruthie said the conference is also an opportunity to push for change in Canada.
On Monday, the federal government announced $17.9 million to increase access to HIV testing in remote communities and hard-to-reach populations.
“This money is very welcome and it goes where there was a weakness in our system and it’s still a great effort from Canada, even if it comes a little late,” Rutty said. “What matters is that things are changing and that this conference is bringing about a change in mentality.
About half of that money will go to fund the distribution of self-tests.
Those who know their HIV status can access treatment by protecting themselves and preventing transmission of the virus to their partners, Ruthie said.
Shamin Mohamed Jr., founder and president of LetsStopAIDS, a Toronto-based nonprofit that focuses on youth, said access to self-testing will help young people know their HIV status.
However, he said there are still unanswered questions about how the organizations that will distribute the tests will support those who test positive.
“When someone tests positive, does he have the emotional support behind him that he needs?” he said in an interview Tuesday.
HIV testing should also be normalized, he said, adding that he was worried that young people could be kicked out of their homes if their parents found a self-test kit.
While self-testing can reach young people who might not otherwise get tested for HIV, he said support is needed to ensure people who test positive know how to access treatment and this price doesn’t do that unavailable.
As federal health minister Jean-Yves Duclos prepared to speak at the closing session of the conference, a group of protesters criticized the lack of funding for follow-up care as part of the expansion of self-testing.
More than 9,000 people were scheduled to attend the five-day conference in person, with another 2,000 people registering to attend online.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 2, 2022.
Add Comment