Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS did a special lecture in Vancouver on Ending AIDS: how can we leverage solidarity, science and momentum to reach the next milestone in global health?
Across the globe, progress against AIDS has been amazing and inspiring. We have broken the trajectory of new HIV infections. Today, we have more than 11-million people on life-saving HIV treatment. Around the world, AIDS mortality is declining. We are making unprecedented progress to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015 and keep their mothers alive.
For the first time we can see an end to an epidemic that has wrought such staggering devastation around the world. For the first time we can say that we are beginning to control the epidemic and not that the epidemic is controlling us. It is certain that ending the AIDS epidemic will mean so much to so many. It will mean zero new HIV infections, zero people dying of AIDS-and all people living with dignity and without fear of discrimination. Ending AIDS will mean celebrating birthdays instead of attending funerals.
But make no mistake, stigma, denial and complacency are still among us, putting us in danger of failing the next generation. We must join our hearts and our voices–together we are stronger.
The world is poised to end AIDS and if we stay true to our vision we will remember that a lifelong of dreams begin to transform into reality.