17th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA 2013)

The conference

The 17th International Conference on AIDS and STI’s in Africa (ICASA 2013), Africa’s largest AIDS Conference, will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), South Africa, from 7 – 11 December 2013. The theme of ICASA 2013 is: Now More Than Ever: Targeting Zero. This theme was arrived at after an extended deliberation among the representatives of the respective stakeholders at the first International Steering Committee meeting. It is derived from the UNAIDS vision of striving for “Zero new HIV and TB infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related and TB deaths”

The ICASA conference remains one of the most important events in the calendar of the year, contributing towards overcoming the HIV and TB epidemics that grip our region. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most affected region with over 22 Million people living with HIV and AIDS and the highest Tuberculosis rates world-wide. Through scientific advancements in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of HIV significant progress has been made to reduce the mortality and morbidity of AIDS. Prevention efforts have been accelerated by the progress in biomedical interventions to reduce HIV transmission.

Have a look below at a road map on sessions related to people who use drugs:

Satellite sessions on drug policy and harm reduction

Saturday 7 December

High-level panel on HIV, drug policy and public health in Africa

By IDPC, Médecins du Monde, the International AIDS Society and UNODC.

• When: 14.00 - 16.30
• Where: Strand Tower Hotel

Speakers include Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director, Faustine Ndugulile, Member of Parliament, Tanzania, Idrissa Ba, West Africa Commission on Drugs, and Loide Lungameni, UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Sunday 8 December

Bridging the Gaps, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNDP, UNODC and the Bridge Project all agree on one thing: key populations should not be forgotten in the AIDS response in Africa!

• When: 18:30-20:00
• Where: Auditorium 1

This is the session where communities representing sex workers, people who inject drugs, MSM and transgender people will share their perspectives on HIV programming for key populations in Africa.

For us and with us: Involving key populations in the Global Fund new funding model

• When: 18:30-20:00
• Where: Park Inn by Radisson, 29 Heerengracht, Foreshore, Cape Town

This roundtable event will be an opportunity to share experiences on how to meaningfully engage with key populations in the Global Fund's New Funding Model.

Tuesday 10 December

“Support. Don't Punish”: The need for better responses to drug use in Africa

By IDPC and Médecins du Monde

• When: 18:30-20:00
• Where: Meeting Room 6, Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)

The session will showcase different experiences from the continent to promote the argument that drug use in Africa needs to be seen as a health and human rights issue, rather than a criminal one.

Speakers include: Hon. Faustine Ndugulile – Member of Parliament, Tanzania, Jamie Bridge – Senior Policy Manager, IDPC,Olawale Maiyegun – Director of Social Affairs, African Union Commission, Ancella Voets – Harm Reduction Coordinator, Médecins du Monde, Dr Frank Masao – Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania,Very Kunambi – Vice-Chair, Tanzanian Network of People who Use Drugs, Dr Annie Lepretre – Hospital Simone Veil / Hospital Bichat, France, and Prof. Pierre Marie Girard – Hospital St Antoine, France.

Wednesday 11 December

The UNGASS on Drugs in 2016: How African civil society engage in the global drug policy reform movement

By IDPC and Open Society Foundations

• When:10:55-11:40
• Where: Human Rights Networking Zone

This Q&A session will be an opportunity to discuss how NGOs working on HIV issues in Africa can engage in the UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs that is to take place in 2016.

Harm reduction and drug policy in Africa

By IDPC.

• When: 12:00-13:30
• Where: Main programme session

Click here to read more about the conference.

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