MONTREAL — The director-general of the World Health Organization told an international AIDS conference in Montreal today that growing inequality could reverse a decade of progress in the fight against HIV. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who spoke at the AIDS 2022 conference via video, says that COVID-19, inflation and cuts in foreign aid from rich countries are deepening the gap between rich and poor nations. He says that while the number of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths is much lower than it was a decade ago, that progress could easily be reversed. Gebreges says he worries that access to HIV prevention tools, testing and treatment is often based on where people live and how much money they have. The international AIDS conference runs until Tuesday at Montreal’s convention center, Palais des Congrès de Montreal. More than 9,000 delegates from around the world were scheduled to attend in person, with another 2,000 registered to participate remotely. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 1, 2022. The Canadian Press
title: “World Health Organization Chief Says Montreal Hiv Conference Progress In Jeopardy " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-26” author: “Daniel Stine”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who addressed the AIDS 2022 conference via video, said the “overlapping crises” of COVID-19, inflation and cuts in foreign aid from rich countries were accelerating inequality and disrupting health services. “In almost every country, the gap between rich and poor is widening and the global cost-of-living crisis is plunging more people into poverty,” Tedros said. “Populism continues to influence domestic and global politics, weakening support for those most in need, including migrants and refugees.” While the number of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths is much lower than it was a decade ago, progress could easily be reversed, he added. Story continues below ad
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About 1.5 million people were infected with HIV last year and an estimated 650,000 AIDS-related deaths, according to the United Nations. Trending Stories
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“Access to life-saving prevention tools, testing and treatment, whether for HIV, COVID-19 and now monkeypox, is too often based on luck: where you were born, the color of your skin and how much you earn,” he said Tedros. He called on countries to tailor responses to the individual needs of communities affected by HIV and said donor nations should maintain funding for global health. The international AIDS conference runs until Tuesday at the Montreal convention center, Palais des congres de Montreal. More than 9,000 delegates from around the world were scheduled to attend in person, with another 2,000 registered to participate remotely. Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos is due to make an announcement at the conference later in the day on domestic funding for HIV. Organizers of the AIDS conference criticized the Canadian government for denying visas to hundreds of delegates and for International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan’s decision to withdraw his participation at short notice. A coalition of Canadian HIV and AIDS organizations is calling on the federal government to increase funding from about $73 million a year to $100 million a year. Story continues below ad 1:54 Canada under fire for higher HIV rates compared to other industrialized countries Canada under fire for higher HIV rates compared to other industrialized countries © 2022 The Canadian Press
