By Vision Reporter

DURING the welcome from conference organiser, the International Aids Society (IAS), Dr Elly Katabira from the Makerere Medical School in Kampala, was announced as the new IAS president elect. He will begin his term at the end of the 18th International Aids Conference in 2010.

Over 23,000 researchers, policy makers, physicians, people living with Aids and those advocating for them last week gathered in Mexico city for the 17th International Aids Conference.

This six-day global meeting opened with the theme “Universal Access Now”.
“It is time to bring drugs to everyone in need, regardless of who they are, where they live and how much they earn. We need universal access now,” said Dr. Luis Soto-Ramirez, an AIDS 2008 co-chair.

According to Peter Piot, the executive director of UNAIDS, for the first time, fewer people are dying of AIDS and fewer people are being infected.

However, infection rates are still rising in some countries and within certain populations including migrants and sex workers.

An estimated 33 million people are living with HIV worldwide and since the beginning of the pandemic 25-years ago, more than 25 million people have died of Aids-related illnesses.

Speakers at the opening session included UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Keren Jamina Dunaway Gonzales, an HIV-positive 13-year-old youth worker and the President of Mexico Filipe Calderón.

The First vice-president of Spain, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, announced a contribution of €10.2m (sh24b) to UNAIDS from Spain to help in achieving universal access.

Former President of Botswana Festus Gontebanye Mogae put a call to African leaders to force positive action on the epidemic plaguing the African continent.

After looking at the successes and failures of the international community on the topic of HIV/Aids, Piot said there is still a battle to be fought.