MONTREAL –
A major AIDS conference in Montreal highlighted the tremendous progress being made in HIV research and also managed to bring together scientists and activists despite visa issues, organizers say.
Dr Jean-Pierre Routy, local co-chair of the AIDS 2022 conference, said the breakthrough presented was research showing that a single injection of a long-acting antiretroviral drug can prevent people from acquiring HIV infection for two months, replacing daily. pills
Other research presented at the five-day conference, which ended Tuesday, shows that a cure for HIV is possible and that steps toward it are being made, even if progress is slow, he said.
“The advances in knowledge are enormous. It hasn’t led to treatments today, but we’re getting closer,” he said in an interview Tuesday.
But as the conference closed, speakers frequently cited delays and visa denials that prevented hundreds of delegates from attending, including those scheduled for the conference and employees of the International AIDS Society, the of HIV professionals who organized the conference.
Routy said he was “disappointed” with the Canadian government, but people from 172 countries were able to attend, and most of the attendees were from developing countries.
Tinashe Rufurwadzo, director of programs, management and governance at Y+ Global, an international HIV-positive youth organization, said that while there were great exchanges at the conference, some young activists were missing.
“It’s a bittersweet thing. We got to connect with people in person, but there are also other critical voices that we missed at this conference,” he said.
Attendees were able to meet with government officials and pharmaceutical executives, which would not otherwise be possible for young activists.
“The only place we can get it is here, when we’re having coffee after the sessions, which is when people are easily accessible,” he said.
Although the conference was held in a hybrid fashion, with remote participants able to view most sessions online, Rufurwadzo said the high cost of data in many African countries limited access and that those who participated virtually were not able to participate as fully as those who attended the conference. person
Routy said the conference was also an opportunity to drive change in Canada.
On Monday, the federal government announced $17.9 million to increase access to HIV testing in remote communities and among hard-to-reach populations.
“This money is very welcome and goes where there was a weakness in our system and it’s still a great effort from Canada, even if it’s a little late,” Routy said. “What counts is that things are changing and that this conference leads to a change in mentality.”
Around half of this money will be used to finance the distribution of self-tests.
Those who know their HIV status can access treatment to protect themselves and prevent passing the virus on to their partners, Routy said.
Shamin Mohamed Jr., founder and president of LetsStopAIDS, a Toronto-based non-profit organization that focuses on youth, said access to self-testing will help young people learn 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, do they have the emotional support they need behind them?” he said in an interview Tuesday.
HIV testing also needs to be standardized, he said, adding that he worries young people could be kicked out of their homes if their parents find a self-testing 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 that cost doesn’t out of reach
As federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos prepared to address 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 the self test
More than 9,000 people were expected to attend the five-day conference in person, with an additional 2,000 people registered to participate online.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 2, 2022.