MSD@TORONTO IAC 2006
Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Sunday, August 13, 2006
Co-chaired by Dr Helen D. Gayle from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Dr Mark A. Wainberg, Director, McGill University AIDS Center, the XVIth International AIDS Conference opened in the largest city in Canada on the theme: "Time to Deliver". Aboriginal, national, provincial and city officials warmly welcomed the 34,000 people who had gathered from more than 170 countries to listen to prominent international experts and meet their peers in the field of HIV/AIDS. Time to Deliver is to remind us of past and present commitments for action on HIV/AIDS and to underscore the need to dramatically scale up access to HIV prevention and treatment. Among its objectives, the conference seeked to influence key policy makers to increase commitments and take responsible action based on evidence. Twenty five years after the discovery of HIV, despite the huge amount of money injected in the fight against HIV/AIDS worldwide, and the efforts to make simplified antiretroviral (ARVs) therapies available at more affordable prices, there still are millions of people who do not have access to prevention, care and treatment. Today, the issue is no longer exclusively that of funding, but more and more that of logistics, human resources and communication. What good is there in purchasing ARVs if they cannot be delivered to the patients who need them and if there is no trained workforce to administer the treatment? What good is there in focusing on "ABC" (Abstinence, Be faithful and Condoms) in countries whose cultural backgrounds do not allow the population to even grasp the concept? What can be done for all these women and girls who between the ages of 15 to 35 are three times more likely to become infected than men, knowing that so many of them are not allowed access to information and are denied the right to safe sex by their partners? Bill Gates, the richest man on the planet, said at the opening ceremony that the key to stemming the HIV/AIDS pandemic was to "put the power to prevent HIV in the hands of women. 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". Together with his wife, Melinda, the Co-chair of the US$62-billion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said that it was a priority to develop microbicides and oral prevention drugs that women could use to avoid infection without being dependent on their sexual partners. This Foundation has so far contributed US$-1.9 billion to the fight against HIV/AIDS. Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada, a remarkable woman of Haitian ascent, expressed her feelings both in French and in English on the issue of HIV/AIDS, highlighting the importance of Governments' involvement when it comes to mobilizing the resources necessary to overcome the epidemic at country level. Founder and Executive Director of UNAIDS, Dr Peter Piot, called for a long term sustained response to the pandemic rather than a crisis-management approach. A very moving testimony was delivered by 25 year old Frika Chia Escandar, from Indonesia, about the challenges that she faces as a woman living with HIV/AIDS, and as an opinion leader who campaigns against HIV-related stigma. Just before the closing remarks, American actor Richard Gere shared with the audience his experience of HIV/AIDS when he started his career in New York as well as his present feelings, leaving a message of hope in the progress of medical research and the fostering of human rights. Click here to view "a glimpse of the conference" (broad band users only.) The main subjects discussed during the conference: On the medical aspect:
Every day started with a plenary session where several guest speakers gave lectures on the global response to HIV/AIDS. They were followed by skill building sessions and lectures on different subjects. Satellite symposia were organized at the Metro Toronto Convention Center (MTCC), and throughout the city. Dr Christophe Longuet - our Unit Medical Manager - made a presentation on Wednesday August 16, entitled: "Partnerships with the Private Sector". This presentation highlighted the HIV/AIDS comprehensive projects conducted in Africa by MSD and its public/private partners, based on the lessons learned through our experience with ACHAP in Botswana between 2000 and 2004. Click here to view the video (English - broad band users only). Thousands of posters were displayed everyday at the exhibitors' hall. ANADER, the National Agency for Support to Development in rural areas of Côte d'Ivoire, presented a poster entitled "Extending Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care to Rural Populations in Côte d'Ivoire", in collaboration with MSD, on Thursday August 17. Click here to view the presentation of the poster (French - broad band users only). Several cultural and educational activities were conducted at the Global Village where many NGOs and PLWHAs organizations were represented. The conference was broadcast live on several Canadian and US TV networks. Prestigious speakers such as Bill Gates, Bill Clinton and Richard Gere attracted masses at their special sessions and in the conference corridors. Cultural events were organized throughout the city, making Toronto the most exiting place to be this time of year, in Canada. The XVIIth International AIDS Conference will be held in Mexico City, August 3 - 8, 2008. 
Text and photos by S. d'Aurelle de Paladines and Frederique Remy, videos by Frederique Remy | ||||||||||||
