Opening Session

Sunday July 19

Before the Opening Session, a march organised by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) of South Africa, left the city centre for the Convention Centre. Hundreds of protesters, wearing red shirts with the logo “HIV-POSITIVE” on their front, chanted and sung their way to their destination where speakers from TAC addressed the crowd re the current crises in antiviral and health care provision for people living with HIV (plhiv) in this country. One of the loudest cheers went up for a doctor in the public health service who explained why doctors had found it necessary to go on strike about the lack of health care workers to do the tasks required to care for plhiv.

The South African Health Minister, the Honourable Aaron Motsoaledi then addressed the crowd and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TAC to work together with them to try to meet the country’s targets for the National Strategic Plan for HIV and TB. A similar MoU was then signed between the Local Conference Co-Chair of IAS, Jerry Coovadia and Executive Director of IAS, Craig McClure.

The Opening Session was preceded by lively performances by a choir, an African drumming quartet and some wonderful gymnastics. Jerry Coovadia opened the official proceedings and spoke of the value of the scientific and activist communities in bringing about a major change in global awareness of the South African situation with HIV after the 2000 World AIDS Conference in Durban and then the contribution of local communities a the National AIDS Conference in 2003 to changing the government’s attitude to the provision of antivirals.

The President of IAS, Julio Montaner then addressed the conference, stating that some 6 to 7 million people were still waiting for antivirals in developing countries based on the starting criteria of 200 T-cells. While the North has virtually eliminated vertical transmission it is still a major cause of mortality in the South. Second and third line treatments were needed in developing countries as well as advancements in medical technologies including viral load testing. Montaner criticised the G8 summit for taking HIV off their priority agenda and for failing to renew commitments to universal access by 2011. Importantly too, Montaner reemphasised the importance of not compromising human rights (and protections for marginalised communities such as MSM, IDU and sex workers) in the process of providing treatment and care to people with HIV.

The Deputy President of South Africa, the Honourable Kgalema Motlanthe, then addressed the conference about the HIV epidemic in his country. As the Chairperson of the South African AIDS Council he had a major involvement in the issues and said HIV was a major obstacle that we had to overcome—to create an AIDS-free generation. The Deputy President acknowledged that only a half of the people in South Africa who need antivirals were receiving them. “We need to increase testing, provide treatments as early as possible, decrease loss to follow-up and strengthen drug supply management,” he said.

Viyuseka Dabula, General Secretary of TAC provided the Community Welcome. Viyuseka said that while a lot had been achieved in developing countries since 2000 (with 61% now receiving generic drugs and prices lower by 60%), and African countries and the G8 have made commitments to universal access, there were real fears that there was a lack of political will to really confront HIV and provide the necessary resources to stop it. It was all very well to say that the world is in a recession but “HIV is not in recession”, she said and economic recovery must include a recovery in health. Universal access has been estimated to cost $12 billion and in South Africa it would be $1 billion.

“When I need second-line treatment I want a guarantee I can get access to it, “she said. “If we don’t increase the resources available, 90% of the current monies will be needed for second line treatment by 2012.”