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Roselyne Sachiti in BRISBANE AUSTRALIA
World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has applauded African countries that include Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Botswana, Eswatini and Tanzania for achieving the 95-95-95 targets to end the HIV pandemic.
Speaking at the official opening of the IAS 2023, the 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science here today, Dr Ghebreyesus also commended 16 other countries close to meeting the 95-95-95 targets.
He also congratulated the IAS 2023 hosts Australia for the country’s recent extraordinary progress on HIV.
“The fact that we are now talking about elimination of HIV transmission in any country is incredible; it shows what is possible and gives us hope,” Dr Ghebreyesus said.
“Australia’s success tells us we have the science, the tools and the know-how to stop infections and save lives.
“The challenge we all face now is replicating that success around the world, especially in the poorest, most marginalised, and hardest to reach communities.”
Also speaking at the IAS 2023 official opening ceremony, International AIDS Society (IAS) president, IAS 2023 international chair and director of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of Melbourne Sharon Lewin, said science presented at the conference will guide roll-out of game-changing prevention tools, such as long-acting PrEP.
She said science will also shed light on how to reduce the impact of mpox and Covid-19 on people living with HIV, and identify new approaches to achieve an HIV cure.
“This is an incredibly exciting time in HIV research, and the studies at IAS 2023 reflect that,” she said.
Ahead of the conference, researchers released updated estimates documenting Australia’s remarkable progress in reducing new HIV acquisitions.
“We are now on the brink of achieving a monumental milestone – the elimination of HIV in Australia,” Charles Gilks, IAS 2023 local chair and Queensland Professorial chair of BBVs and STIs at the University of Queensland, Australia, said.
“To become the first country to do so and attain the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, we must intensify our efforts to reach marginalised communities and address health disparities, prioritise sexual health education and continue our investments in research and innovation.”
Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said they were delighted to host IAS 2023 as part of the country’s ongoing commitment to the international fight against HIV and AIDS.
“Through bi-partisan collaboration and support, coupled with the global efforts of science and research, we will one day be able to eliminate HIV transmission.
“The contribution that people with lived experience and those with professional experience will bring to this conference will be critical in driving progress toward that goal,” he said.
Leaders gathered for the opening session also discussed the global implications of progress in Australia.
This year’s conference will also shine a spotlight on other nations across Asia and the Pacific, and will feature diverse voices from across the region.
Hosted by the International AIDS Society, the conference has drawn thousands of experts from across the spheres of science, policy and activism to Brisbane to examine the latest advances in HIV research and forge a more equitable and innovative HIV response.
Online Reporter