According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 35.3 Million people were living with HIV/AIDS worldwide in 2012 while 1.6 million died of AIDS-related illnesses worldwide at the same period. The report further reveals that Sub-Saharan Africa remains most severely affected, with nearly 1 in every 20 adults living with HIV and accounting for 71% of the people living with HIV worldwide.
Similar shocking universal HIV/AIDS prevalence are among the key factors that led to the convening of the first ever International AIDS Conference nearly three decades ago.
This month the HSRC’s Chief Executive, Prof Olive Shisana will chair one of the satellite sessions at the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia starting from 20 – 25 July 2014.
In this session the HSRC-led consortium of research organisations will present five papers emanating from the 2012 South African National HIV, Behaviour and Health Survey (SABSSM-4) which was released in April this year.
The survey which is the fourth in the series of repeated cross-sectional national surveys that have been conducted by the same consortium in 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2012 investigated the HIV prevalence, HIV incidence and exposure to antiretroviral treatment (ART) as well as the biomedical, social behavioural determinants of the epidemic.
The HSRC-led consortium satellite session at the conference will focus on the overview of utilising surveys such as these for monitoring the epidemic nationally. The session will also take a glance at trends of HIV prevalence and incidence, risk perceptions among medically and traditionally circumcised males, age desperate and intergenerational sex, marital status, impact of the HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign, stigma, risk perception, HIV knowledge and risk behaviour in South Africa.
Speaking shortly before departing for Melbourne, Prof Shisana paid homage to the men and women who worked tirelessly in putting together the SABSSM-4 report.
“Our sitting at the 20th International AIDS Conference where we will showcase to the world that the SABSSM-4 report had a potentially, huge impact on public policy and planning and that this research project not only illustrate the solution-oriented nature of the research undertaken at the HSRC, but also aims to produce outcomes that have direct utility in addressing critical HIV/AIDS challenges,” said the CEO.
The International AIDS Conference is the premier gathering for those working in the field of HIV, as well as policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the pandemic. The biennial gathering is a chance to assess where the world is, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course forward.
Gathering under the theme, Stepping up the Pace, the Conference which is organised by the International AIDS Society (IAS) in partnership with a number of international bodies and local partners has a programme which will present new scientific knowledge and offer many opportunities for structured dialogue on the major issues facing the global response to HIV.
Further information on the conference can be accessed by visiting the conference’s website: www.aids2014.org
International AIDS Conference
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Date |
Event |
Detail |
Responsibility |
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18 July 2014 ALL DAY |
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08:30 – 10:00 |
Keynote Address: IAS Children’s Symposium “Children and HIV: Start Early, Start Now!” Integrated interventions for young children born into HIV-affected families |
Pre-conference symposium, Grand Hyatt Hotel |
Prof Linda Richter Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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15:30 – 17:00 |
Paper: Gathering the evidence from within and outside of HIV to understand the long-term implications for children – reports from the PEPFAR process “The importance of early child development for long-term outcomes” |
Pre-conference symposium Grand Hyatt Hotel |
Prof Linda Richter Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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17:00 – 17:30 |
Special Remarks: Launch of Special Issue of AIDS – children born into families affected by HIV |
Launch Grand Hyatt Hotel |
Prof Linda Richter: Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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08:30 – 17:30 |
Women and their influence on fatherhood in KwaZulu-Natal |
Culture, Health & Sexuality Symposium, University of Melbourne |
Tawanda Makusha Photographer: Naledi Hlalukana |
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19 July 2014 ALL DAY |
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08:30 – 10:00 |
Moderator: A conversation: The global convergence of initiatives around early child development: How we can make these HIV-sensitive |
Pre-conference symposium |
Prof Linda Richter Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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20 July 2014 08:00 – 11:00 |
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09:00 – 13:00 |
UNICEF/Coalition for Children Affected by AIDS: Global Partners Forum: Discussant |
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Prof Linda Richter Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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12:00 – 18:30 |
Hosting of HSRC Booth |
Stand 307 |
Ms Yolande Shean, Ms Naledi Hlalukana |
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21 July 2012 09:00 – 18:30 |
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13:00 – 14:00 |
MOPDD01 The Social and Cultural Context of Risk and Prevention Co-Chair: Prof Leickness Simbayi |
Room 105 – 106 |
Prof Leickness Simbayi Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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13:00-14:00
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MOPDE01 Oral Presentation: Life-course impacts of maternal mortality related to HIV in South Africa |
Room 103 |
Dr L Knight, Dr A. Ely Yamin Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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12:30 – 14:30 |
Poster Exhibition: MOPE244: The association between cohabitation and HIV testing behaviours in heterosexual couples at baseline in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa |
Poster Exhibition Area |
Dr Heidi van Rooyen (H van Rooyen, N Mcgrath, L Knight, V Hosegood, T Ngubane, A Marr, M Johnson, K Fritz, L Darbes) Photographer: Ms Naledi Hlalukana |
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12:30 – 14:30 |
Poster Exhibition: MOPE250: Prevalence, correlates and ecological associations of concurrent sexual partnerships in a nationally representative cross-section of South Africans in 2013 |
Poster Exhibition Area |
(D Celenteno, K Risher, O Shisana, T Rehle, L Simbayi) Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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12:30 – 14:30 |
Poster Exhibition: MOPE252: Relationship characteristics of cohabiting and non-cohabiting couples in a couples-based HIV intervention trial in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
Poster Exhibition Area |
(V Hosegood, N McGrath, H van Rooyen, L Knight, T Ngubane, A Marr, M Johnson, K Fritz, L Darbes) Photographer: Ms Naledi Hlalukana
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22 July 2014 09:00 – 18:30 |
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08:20 – 10:30 |
Plenary Session: TUPL01 What’s Holding Us Back and How Do We Move Faster? (09:00) Presentation by Prof Shisana: Strengthening Health Systems and Community
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Plenary 2 |
Prof Olive Shisana Photographer & Support: Ms Yolande Shean |
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12:30 – 14:30 |
TUPE254: Attitudes towards people living with HIV in South Africa: findings from three national population-based household surveys in 2005, 2008 and 2012 |
Poster Exhibition Area |
Prof Leickness Simbayi (V Mehlomakulu, S Jooste, LC Simbayi, N Ncitakalo) Photographer: Yolande Shean
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23 July 2014
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07:00 – 08:30 |
Are we there yet? Stepping up the pace through 2012 National HIV Prevalence and Behavioral Surveys: Botswana, Kenya and South Africa
Botswana AIDS Impact Survey results, 2012
Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey, 2012
South Africa National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey 2012
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Room 101 – 102 |
Prof Olive Shisana, Prof Leickness Simbayi, Prof Thomas Rehle |
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12:30 – 14:30 |
WEPE315: HIV communication and self-perceived risk for HIV infection among adolescents and young adults in four provinces in South Africa
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Poster Exhibition Area |
Ms Julia Louw (J Louw, B Tutshana, K Peltzer, P Naidoo) Photographer: Ms Naledi Hlalukana |
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12:30 – 14:30 |
WEPE265: Clinic-based peer support by women living with HIV improves maternal-child outcomes |
Poster Exhibition Area |
Dr Alastair van Heerden (A C van Heerden, MJ Rotheram-Borus, L Richter, A Stein, M Tomlinson, J Harwood, T Rochat, H van Rooyen, WS Comulada, Z Tang Photographer: Ms Naledi Hlalukana |
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12:30 – 14:30 |
WEPE237: Sexual behavior among people living with HIV/AIDS who are on antiretroviral therapy in South Africa: results from a population-based household survey in 2012 |
Poster Exhibition Area |
Prof Thomas Rehle (T Rehle, L Simbayi, O Shisana, D Celenteno, K Risher) Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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12:30 – 14:30 |
WEPE152: The South African Marang Men’s Project: HIV prevalence and risk behaviours among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg |
Poster Exhibition Area |
Prof Leickness Simbayi (L Simbayi, A Cloete, T Rehle, L Townsend, Y Ntsepe, S Jooste, M Mabaso, J Louw, D Naidoo, P Naidoo, T Duda) Photographer: Ms Naledi Hlalukana |
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12:30 – 14:30 |
WEPE131: Is formative research important before implementation of a survey using respondent driven sampling (RDS) among MSM in three South African cities? |
Poster Exhibition Area |
Ms Allanise Cloete (A Cloete, T Duda, Y Ntsepe, D Naidoo, K Jonas, L Simbayi) Photographer: Ms Yolande Shean |
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14.30 – 16.00 |
WEAX01 “I think it is right”: Acceptability of an HIV self-test by lay users in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
Plenary 1 |
L. Knight, H. van Rooyen, J. Lim, R. Peck Photographer: Ms Naledi Hlalukana |
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18:30 – 20:30
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WESA14 South African National HIV Prevalence, HIV Incidence and Behaviour Survey, 2012 Non-Commercial Satellite
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Room 105-106 |
Prof Olive Shisana, Prof Leickness Simbayi, Prof Thomas Rehle, Dr Mpumi Zungu, Dr Do |
For more information contact:Ms Ina van der Linde on ivdlinde@hsrc.ac.za who will be at the conference.