ViiV HEALTHCARE GETS READY FOR AFRICA’S LARGEST HIV-AIDS CONFERENCE

ViiV Healthcare is looking forward to engaging with a diverse range of community leaders, health professionals and scientists at the 18th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) meeting taking place from 29 November to 4 December 2015 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

ICASA 2015 is expected to be Africa’s largest HIV-AIDS conference – convening over 10,000 delegates from nearly 150 countries. Themed ‘AIDS in Post 2015: Linking Leadership, Science & Human Rights’, the conference will discuss the 90:90:90 goals set out by UNAIDS*, with a special focus on barriers and opportunities for achieving these in sub-Saharan Africa.

David Pritchard, Head of International said: “ViiV Healthcare will have a strong presence at ICASA, with multiple activities running throughout. This is a reflection of our commitment to engage with the HIV community everywhere in the world.”

Here’s an overview of key events:

• On Monday 30th November, Positive Action Children’s Fund (PACF) will be hosting a Mini Summit. This three-hour meeting will bring together a number of our PACF community partners, with a panel of external experts from the development sector. The Summit includes an initial plenary followed by a 90 minute ‘fishbowl’ discussion in which community partners will be invited to take part in discussions about global strategy and share insights from their grassroots interventions.

          Click here for more information about our PACF initiative.

• Our Positive Action team will also be available throughout the conference at our Community Stand on booth 47, which will have information about our partnerships with healthcare organisations and community groups across the world.

We are also looking forward to engaging with the scientific community through our medical and commercial activities:

• We are supporting an independent symposium on Wednesday 2 December 2015, 18.30 – 20.00. The symposium’s panel of experts includes:
  
  • Dr Joseph Makhema, CEO Harvard AIDS Institute, Botswana
    
  • Prof. Jan van Lunzen, Professor for Internal Medicine/ Infectious Diseases, University of Hamburg and Global Medical Director, ViiV Healthcare
    
  • Dr Corklin Steinhart, Head, Global Medical Directors, ViiV Healthcare

The symposium includes the presentation of four patient cases as part of an interactive audience session.

• We are hosting a ‘Discuss the Science’ Lunch & Learn Expert Panel for healthcare professionals on Thursday 3 December 2015, 12.15-13.15. This session is an opportunity for open scientific exchange with experts from ViiV Healthcare, and builds on the success of similar sessions at other congresses.
  
• Finally, we have a Commercial and Medical Exhibition Stand for the duration of the meeting, where there will be information on our approved products and our commitment to the region.

If you’re not attending ICASA, stay up-to-date by following us on Twitter at @ViiVHC and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/viiv-healthcare,

We wish everyone who will be there a productive ICASA 2015!

* UNAIDS 90:90:90 goals: By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status. By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy. By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.