AIDS conference opens with 'we must not go back' call

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KIGALI

The 2025 International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science has opened with a call, 'We must not go back'.

Held under the theme: Stand up for science, access and equity, the opening ceremony in Kigali set a determined tone. Health experts from across the global HIV movement warned that decades of scientific breakthroughs and community-led gains are now under threat—from funding shortfalls, political backsliding, and widening inequality.

“We no longer stand at a crossroad—we now face a precipice,”​ Desmond Tutu Institute deputy director Prof. Linda-Gail Bekker said in her keynote address.

"We must all agree here today that we cannot go back. How then do we go forward?"

Bekker traced the HIV response from its bleak beginnings when, in sub-Saharan Africa, one in two children born with HIV died before their second birthday, to today, when a person living with HIV can live a long and healthy life with a single daily pill.

“The science is extraordinary. We now know that when HIV is fully suppressed, it cannot be sexually transmitted. We have long-acting PrEP options, a deeper understanding of the virus, and a range of prevention tools tailored to individual needs,” she said.

“We should be close to the finish line—but we’re not.”

Despite tremendous progress, Bekker warned of a dangerous wave of global complacency and political reversals, particularly in Africa, home to 26 of the 40 million people living with HIV.

She pointed to the abrupt budget slashes by the new US administration, including the withdrawal of USAID funding and the halting of key PEPFAR-supported programmes.

“In just a few months, $28 billion in foreign aid was cut—$12 billion of that from health,” Bekker said.

“USAID has been a lifeline, supporting vaccines, treatments and prevention efforts across Africa. Now, primary prevention programmes are the first to be hit, with catastrophic impacts already being felt.”

Bekker warned of a cascade of consequences: ART stock-outs, disrupted HIV testing, and shuttered clinics. Even monitoring personnel have been left without support.

“We are in crisis,” she declared.

We cannot sleepwalk into another tragedy

Joining virtually, World Health Organisation director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reinforced the warning.

Joining virtually, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, reinforced the warning. (Courtesy)

“We cannot sleepwalk into a new tragedy,” Tedros said.

“It is essential that governments, scientists and communities come together to protect health systems, share responsibility, and build a new sustainable model of care.”

He noted that while the global health system is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the HIV response is being “severely tested”—putting millions of lives at risk.

Rwandan model shows what’s possible

Speaking earlier during a media briefing, Rwanda's health minister, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, praised the value of people-centred strategies and strong partnerships.

“Rwanda’s experience in the HIV response over the past few decades—alongside our recent pandemic response—demonstrates what is possible when countries prioritise people-centred approaches and invest in strategic partnerships,” Nsanzimana said.

Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, praised the value of people-centred strategies and strong partnerships. (Courtesy)

He highlighted Rwanda’s early achievement of the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets and its use of cutting-edge interventions, such as long-acting medications, to tailor and integrate services.

“Our shared responsibility is to ensure these innovations are not only developed, but also equitably accessible to all who need them,” he added.

A movement tested, again

IAS President Beatriz Grinsztejn reminded participants that the HIV movement was born in crisis, shaped by science, and driven by community. Today, she said, it is being tested again.

“On one hand, science has never been stronger. We have strategies showing promise in reactivating dormant virus, smarter ART regimens, and community-led monitoring systems,” she said.

“But on the other hand, we are witnessing global budget cuts, declining political attention, and rising inequality.”

The IAS 2025 Conference, which began on Sunday, July 13, with pre-press briefings, runs until July 18. The event has drawn thousands of researchers, policymakers, community advocates, and health leaders from acro. (Courtesy)

Grinsztejn urged delegates to protect the independence of science, uphold solidarity, and speak truth to power. She also raised concerns about transparency—specifically, the Global Fund’s announcement to roll out lenacapavir for HIV prevention without disclosing procurement costs.

“This undermines the bargaining power of middle-income countries with high HIV incidence. It must change.”

Professor Bekker closed her address with a roadmap toward epidemic control by 2030, outlining five key priorities for the continent’s “unfinished business.”

She lamented the 120,000 children who acquired HIV in 2024, despite the existence of proven tools to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

“Injectable PrEP could dramatically reduce new infections, but it must be cheap, accessible, and widely available,” she said.

Bekker also reinforced the essential role of community leadership:

“We’ve come this far because of the resilience, ingenuity, and leadership of the community. We won’t get to 2030 without them. They must be seen, resourced, and heard.”

The IAS 2025 Conference, which started on July 13, 2025, with pre-press briefings, has drawn thousands of people from across the globe. The event running till July 18, has drawn thousands of researchers, policymakers, community advocates, and health leaders from across the globe—including over 100 participants from Uganda.