XVIII International AIDS Conference, 2010
Encyclopedia
The XVIII International AIDS Conference was held in Vienna
, Austria
from July 18–23, 2010.
selected this theme to emphasize the need for the general community and public and private sector organizations, scientists, and social workers to commit to use the knowledge gained through science and experience take action.
pointing out that funding by rich economies for poor countries fighting HIV/AIDS was reduced to 7.6 billion dollars from 7.7 billion dollars in 2008. The countries cut funding because of the Late-2000s financial crisis
. Ki-moon stated that "Some governments are cutting back on their response to AIDS. This should be a cause for great concern to us all. We must ensure that our recent gains are not reversed."
In the United States, the political concern was to give aid to save the most number of lives at the least cost, and there was a debate which argued that more people could be saved by diverting money which had formerly been committed to fighting HIV to instead treating diarrhea
and respiratory disease
. At the Vienna conference, protesters were asserting that in any case HIV prevention and AIDS treatment were priorities. Protesters accused Barack Obama
of reneging on commitments to fund the global campaign against AIDS. PEPFAR director Eric Goosby
was the target of some of these protests. Desmond Tutu
stated that he was "saddened by (Obama's) decision to spend less than he promised to treat AIDS patients in Africa." The White House
responded by pointing out that the United States had provided 58% of all funds worldwide for fighting AIDS in developing countries and by saying that the attack on AIDS must be comprehensive and include factors other than efforts directed against HIV.
recognized that worldwide most people with HIV ultimately die of tuberculosis
, and they announced a program which had the goal of reducing the 200,000 per year death rate due to HIV and TB to half by 2015.
The WHO
reported that there were large disparities in availability of care between Eastern Europe
and Western Europe
and noted that increases in infection were increasing more rapidly in the East than the West.
The U.N. Development Program
and the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health
presented a study linking the criminalization of homosexuality to an increase in Asia's HIV infection rates.
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
from July 18–23, 2010.
Conference theme
The theme of the conference was "Knowledge and Commitment for Action." The International AIDS SocietyInternational AIDS Society
The International AIDS Society is an independent association of HIV professionals, with 14,000 members from 190 countries working at all levels of the global response to AIDS. IAS members include researchers from all disciplines, clinicians, public health and community practitioners on the...
selected this theme to emphasize the need for the general community and public and private sector organizations, scientists, and social workers to commit to use the knowledge gained through science and experience take action.
Protest
The conference opened with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moonBan Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
pointing out that funding by rich economies for poor countries fighting HIV/AIDS was reduced to 7.6 billion dollars from 7.7 billion dollars in 2008. The countries cut funding because of the Late-2000s financial crisis
Late-2000s financial crisis
The late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...
. Ki-moon stated that "Some governments are cutting back on their response to AIDS. This should be a cause for great concern to us all. We must ensure that our recent gains are not reversed."
In the United States, the political concern was to give aid to save the most number of lives at the least cost, and there was a debate which argued that more people could be saved by diverting money which had formerly been committed to fighting HIV to instead treating diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
and respiratory disease
Respiratory disease
Respiratory disease is a medical term that encompasses pathological conditions affecting the organs and tissues that make gas exchange possible in higher organisms, and includes conditions of the upper respiratory tract, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleura and pleural cavity, and the...
. At the Vienna conference, protesters were asserting that in any case HIV prevention and AIDS treatment were priorities. Protesters accused Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
of reneging on commitments to fund the global campaign against AIDS. PEPFAR director Eric Goosby
Eric Goosby
Ambassador Eric Goosby currently serves as the United States Global AIDS Coordinator. In this position Goosby directs the U.S. strategy for addressing HIV around the world and leads President Obama's implementation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief . Goosby was sworn in on June 23,...
was the target of some of these protests. Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
stated that he was "saddened by (Obama's) decision to spend less than he promised to treat AIDS patients in Africa." The White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
responded by pointing out that the United States had provided 58% of all funds worldwide for fighting AIDS in developing countries and by saying that the attack on AIDS must be comprehensive and include factors other than efforts directed against HIV.
Highlights
UNAIDS and Stop TB PartnershipStop TB Partnership
The Stop TB Partnership was established in 2000 to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health problem. Its 1000 partner organizations include international, nongovernmental and governmental organizations and patient groups...
recognized that worldwide most people with HIV ultimately die of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, and they announced a program which had the goal of reducing the 200,000 per year death rate due to HIV and TB to half by 2015.
The WHO
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
reported that there were large disparities in availability of care between Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
and Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
and noted that increases in infection were increasing more rapidly in the East than the West.
The U.N. Development Program
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
and the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health
Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health
The Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health, also known as APCOM, is a network of non-profit organizations which share the mission of improving male sexual health in South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific Islands.-History:...
presented a study linking the criminalization of homosexuality to an increase in Asia's HIV infection rates.