Amidst the cynicism, a thread to hold on for HIV/AIDS activists
BANGKOK – While cynicism and pessimism shadow every international conference in the world that seeks answers and solutions to crucial issues in education, health, human rights, conflict or peace, a silver lining invariably springs up to give hope to the victims and the affected.
That is also true of the recently concluded 11th ICAAP (International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific) in the Thai capital of Bangkok earlier this month, which saw interesting thoughts being expressed on the search for an all-time cure for HIV while many ideas were exchanged on funding options, an issue that confronts many countries.
Steve Kraus, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific
A cure for HIV has eluded scientists, medical professionals, governments and civil society for decades. For many years now, antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been used to stop or suppress human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes AIDS, the incurable disease.
According to the WHO, ART consists of the combination of at least three antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to maximally suppress the HIV virus and stop the progression of HIV disease. Huge reductions have been seen in rates of death and suffering when use is made of a potent ARV regimen, particularly in early stages of the disease, the agency said. Containment of the virus and regular ART treatment for those living with HIV has turned them into more productive citizens.
While there are drugs that can slow down the HIV virus and slow down the damage to the immune system, it doesn’t get rid of HIV in the body. And, this is where the level of current research in finding a cure becomes vitally important.
At a media conference here, Prof. Sharon Lewin, Director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Australia’s Alfred Hospital and Monash University and co-head of the Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute, Melbourne was asked about the progress in the scientific research towards a cure.
She said that scientists involved in the search for a cure have made a lot of progress in the past three years, adding that “we need to wake up (ease out) the virus from its hiding place to be able to treat it”.
“We know a HIV cure is possible, it’s already been demonstrated – it’s rare but possible,” said Prof. Lewin was quoted as telling reporters. A statement issued on her comments, said Prof. Lewin cited the cases of two men who appear to have overcome HIV in Boston in the United States.
“Earlier this year, doctors announced that two previously HIV-positive patients no longer had detectable virus levels in their blood or tissue after having bone marrow stem-cell transplants to treat cancer between two and four years ago,” the statement from the UNAIDS-supported media centre said.
She said, “This is obviously a painful and difficult procedure, which we are not advocating, but it provides evidence that it is possible”. What now is required, she said, was to keep the momentum going on research and support from governments and the corporate sector in funding and other mechanisms. Her laboratory is focusing on understanding how HIV persists in patients on antiviral therapy, strategies to cure HIV infection and how the immune system recovers following antiviral therapy. As to the future, “Stepping up the Pace” is the theme of the 20th International AIDS Conference to be held in July 20-24, 2014 in Australia. Prof. Lewin said the issues to be discussed there include getting treatment, access to treatment, and reducing stigma and discrimination in addition to presenting new scientific knowledge and research on a cure.In the discourse in Bangkok on funding options – a key issue as the flow of funds dry up – questions are raised as to whether HIV/AIDS is become less fashionable to funding agencies.
This discussion, on the sidelines of the ICAAP meeting, discussed the Lancet Commission report. The Commission has brought together heads of state, policy makers, people living with HIV, civil society, development experts, young people, and private sector leaders to provide global leadership, expertise and momentum for change in shaping the future of global health in the post-2015 development agenda.
Retired Australian judge Michael Kirby, member of the commission and an openly gay person, said 30 years ago it was said that a vaccine would be found in 20 years. That period has passed since then but a cure is yet to be found.
Lyn Kok, President/CEO of Standard Chartered Bank in Thailand explained why the bank is passionate about AIDS and has built it into its in-house training programmes and also into its business model. She said the bank is offering to help and guide NGOs on managing finances.
In Africa, 30 per cent of the staff was affected by HIV and that’s when the bank decided to step in. On the funding landscape, the good news is that countries like Thailand fund its programmes almost entirely from local sources with just 20 per cent of the funding coming from abroad. That’s not the case however for many countries which depend on foreign, now-hard-to-get cash.
The general consensus is that there is a need for a new investment scenario and Standard Chartered Bank’s response to the virus is encouraging signs that the corporate sector is taking these issues and willing to look at funding options. The signs in some countries are quite encouraging.
In Sri Lanka for example, the Lanka Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS (LBCH), again steered by the Standard Chartered Bank, is a vibrant group of businesses come together to have a proper HIV/AIDS workplace policy aimed at sensitizing workers, eliminate stigma and discrimination in the workplace and create awareness on sexual health and other related issues.
The coalition was set up as a result of 8th ICCAP held in Sri Lanka in August 2007. In summing up ICAAP11 in Bangkok, issues including the medical research towards a cure and funding options were widely discussed in conference rooms, corridors and hotel lobbies. Let’s hope it doesn’t end there.