ICASA 2005: HIV/AIDS treatment is about more than drugs
News from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance
2 December 2005: for immediate release
Effective HIV/AIDS treatment is for life; it is not just about access to drugs, but also about essential medical and community support. This was the message from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance today in advance of the opening of the 14th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa, which is being held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 4-9 December.
“One of the key messages that needs to come out of this conference is that treatment is for life,” says Mike Bailey, Head of the Africa team at the Alliance. ”This means people going onto anti-retrovirals (ARVs) have to understand how the drugs work, what treatment means for their lives, and what help and support they will need. Treatment education is also crucial for those around them – families and neighbours, local policy makers, social services and others – so they understand what treatment is about. For children, treatment that works is about child-friendly formulations and extra support to help them keep taking the medicine.
“We also need to recognize how important less visible members of the community are in care and support. They may be children and older people, or populations key to the dynamics of the epidemic such as people living with HIV, sex workers, and men who have sex with men.”
The Alliance and its partners are involved in many presentations and skills building sessions at ICASA including workshops about working with families on HIV-related stigma; challenges around children’s participation and rights; prevention strategies for people living with HIV/AIDS; and tools to analyse the capacity of community-based organisations to start HIV/AIDS work.
The Alliance, in collaboration with the Coalition Promoting Children’s Voices, will also be screening a short film at the opening ceremony where Nigerian children discuss the impact that HIV and AIDS has had on their own lives and those of their friends.
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Editor’s notes
1. For full details of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance’s activities at ICASA, or for more information about our work and to arrange interviews, please contact Simon Moore. T: 01273 718744. E: smoore@aidsalliance.org. The Alliance and its partners also have experts available for interview locally at the conference. Please contact Baba Goumbala in Abuja from 4 December via Cynthia Allagh. T: +234 80 3312 2370.
2. The International HIV/AIDS Alliance has been supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries since 1993. It has worked with community organisations from over 40 countries, provided financial support to over 3,000 projects (implemented by over 2,000 community and faith-based groups). Expenditure in 2005 alone is expected to reach approximately USD 45 million.
