AIDS 2010 Human Rights March, as the crowd passed an appropriately dressed Austrian Parliament building

The demand for universal recognition of human rights took the front seat at the world’s largest HIV conference where “Treatment 2.0” and “harm reduction” were the buzzwords. Comference organisers also called on governments to adopt harm reduction codes in place of continued criminalisation of drug-use. Fridae's Laurindo Garcia delivers a wrap-up report from Vienna.

The International AIDS Society’s 2010 Conference came to a close last Friday in the Austrian capital Vienna, after setting the tone for the next chapter in the fight against the virus that causes AIDS.

Increased access to treatment was one common goal shared among the estimated 20,000 conference delegates. Providing life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to everyone in need – based on current clinical guidelines – could result in a one-third reduction of new infections globally, a projection outlined in the UN’s latest strategic paper – dubbed “Treatment 2.0”.

Treatment as prevention
Viewing access to HIV treatment for 33-million people worldwide living with HIV (PLHIV) within the context of prevention strategies for the general population marks a significant shift from the current public health approach.

However the cost of scaling-up treatment, according to new World Health Organisation guidelines, would come at a high price. Stark differences of opinion on how this need would be met were clear sources of tension over the 6-day event.

See the complete wrap-up article on Fridae.com.

[Laurindo Garcia is the focal point for the Insular Southeast Asia Network (ISEAN), an APCOM sub-region.]