A number of proficient BC-CfE researchers travelled to Durban, South Africa, this year for the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) held from July 18 to 22. Dr. Julio Montaner and Irene Day joined the conference, attended by over 15,000 delegates. Here are some of the highlights.
Pre-conference workshop focuses on tools to reach the 90-90-90 Target
On Sunday July 17, Dr. Montaner hosted a very successful pre-conference workshop event and reception to discuss global progress towards the UNAIDS ambitious 90-90-90 Target with speakers from around the globe, including representatives from PEPFAR, UNAIDS, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, WHO and our Canadian Minister of Health, the Hon. Jane Philpott.
In her statements at the workshop, preceding a reception hosted by Health Canada, Minister of Health Jane Philpott said: “One of the powers of the [90-90-90] treatment target is the way it challenges us.” Within Canada, she highlighted the need to reach vulnerable groups, in particular indigenous communities who experience ongoing discrimination and lack of access to health care. Globally, she called on world leaders to commit to funding critical to the work of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. She also committed to the federal government being “100%” supportive of harm reduction efforts, including the expansion of supervised consumption facilities.
Several speakers at the event-from countries such as Malawi, Rwanda, Swaziland, Thailand and China-echoed the need to fast-track and expand their efforts against HIV, especially in order to reach key populations (including men who have sex with men, people who use injection drugs and sex workers).
Dr. Tendani Gaolathe, Director of the master training program at Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership (BHP), presented on progress made in Botswana since the 2002 implementation of a national program to provide universal HIV treatment. While she reported progress towards meeting the 90-90-90 goals, she also acknowledged remaining gaps, such as reaching men who are unaware of their status.
Dr. Deborah Birx, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator & U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, pointed out that it is important to reach people in all places and to focus on local-level reporting to uncover where new infections are occurring. Dr. Birx said reaching people through treatment-and reaching youth through education-are both important to curbing the spread of HIV.
In addition to themes heard at previous BC-CfE-hosted TasP¨ workshops, the focus at this summer’s event was on emerging HIV epidemics due to the opioid addiction crisis facing North America.Dr. Kara Wools-Kaloustian, Professor of Medicine at Indiana University, said a phylogenetic analysis within the rural county of Scott in Indiana had uncovered over 50 cases of HIV spread within the course of six months in 2015. A state of emergency was declared, opening the door to allowing for needle exchange programs. The BC-CfE has been working with Indiana University to help address this localized epidemic.
The BC-CfE’s own Research Scientist, Dr. Jeffrey Joy, shared information on how phylogenetics is being used in BC to monitor HIV epidemics and identify genetically similar clusters of the disease, such as those with higher drug resistance.
There is now a bigger toolbox being used to address HIV and other related diseases. Globally, clinicians and public health providers are turning their attention to new tools, such as PrEP. And a few older tools are now being reached to more often, with advocacy and support increasing for evidence-based harm reduction efforts (including supervised injection facilities and needle exchanges) in the United States and Canada.
Research presented from the BC-CfE
During AIDS 2016, BC-CfE researchers presented a number of posters touching on highly discussed topics such as the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure among women living with HIV, the patient-physician relationship in HIV treatment, treatment among incarcerated populations and people who inject drugs, sexuality and intimacy among women living with HIV, the impact of Indigenous-centred care and the impacts of gendered violence on youth in Gulu, Uganda. BC-CfE staff who attended included Sally Lin, Pauline Voon, Ofer Amram, Dr. Andrea Krusi, Brittany Barker, Mint Ti, Kalysha Closson, Allison Carter and Karina Czyzewski. Special congratulations to Allison, Karina, Pauline and Sally who received scholarships from the International AIDS Society to attend the conference.
Canada fighting strong against HIV
Canadian presence was strong throughout the conference, buttressed by representation from the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada. Health Minister the Hon. Jane Philpott tweeted away throughout the conference (including the
adjacent image featuring a few BC-CfE staff). In her statements, Minister Philpott emphasized Canada’s leadership on HIV and AIDS-calling our own Dr. Montaner “a national treasure”. As a highlight of the weeklong event, several BC-CfE’ers were able to get valuable facetime with the Minister, who was interested in learning more about the diverse research initiatives at the BC-CfE.
“It was a good feeling to be able to attend an international event and to feel proud again about Canada’s role on the international stage,” said Katelyn Merritt, BC-CfE Research Coordinator. “Our Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Philpott, was extremely vocal-highlighting Canada’s recent 20% increase in contribution to the Global Fund, the expansion of harm reduction services, the federal government’s endorsement of TasP¨, and its advocacy for evidence-based policy making to better meet the needs of populations disproportionately affected by HIV.”
“The AIDS conference was an amazing opportunity to interact with other HIV researchers, clinicians, and advocates from all parts of the world,” said Pauline Voon, BC-CfE Research Associate.
Now it’s time to look forward to further contributions at next year’s IAS conference in Paris, France!