Ei-iE

The XVII International AIDS Conference, with 25,000 participants, brought together representatives from many sectors working on HIV/AIDS issues. For a few days AIDS was the focus of a busy schedule of presentations, debates and interaction. But what happens now? With UNAIDS reporting a shortfall of US$8 billion in AIDS funding for the developing world, it is a question that needs to be asked.

At the closing session Julio Montaner, President of the International AIDS Society, pointed out that despite the wealth of knowledge and information on AIDS “implementation flounders”. He said the failure to act effectively against AIDS “represents a crime against those infected, those affected, and those susceptible” and called for “universal action now”.

Education for prevention is key to that action. Infection rates may have slowed and more people are gaining access to antiretroviral therapy, but UNAIDS reports that for every two people who start on antiretrovirals, five more people are infected. With universal access some way off, and no cure in sight, scaling-up prevention strategies is as important as ever.

Jan Eastman, EI Deputy General Secretary, attended the International AIDS Conference and commented that “the scale and scope of the Conference was impressive, but greater emphasis needs to be put on education. The contribution of teacher unions, current and future, continues to be underacknowledged.” As a speaker at the pre-conference Labour AIDS Forum, she presented the work and achievements of the EFAIDS Programme to unionists from 25 countries.

The meeting of Ministries of Education and Health from across Latin America and the Caribbean resulted in a joint declaration, ‘Prevention through Education’.

For further information on the XVII AIDS Conference, check out the website http://www.aids2008.org/.