[Viva] from Vienna

[Margarite Sanchez]

Hi all,
Kath has been in Vienna attending the IAC and has sent me a couple of
updates that she has said I can share with the listserv.
So here you go,  it is interesting to hear from someone who is actually there.
ox,
margarite

July 19th
> > A great plenary speaker last night at the opening ceremony was Paula
> > Akugizibwe from Rwanda.  Not HIV positve but a very smart
> and young human
> > rights activist from Africa.  Plus today (monday) there
> was a positive woman
> > from south africa (not exactly sure of name, something like
> Vusike Dubula  -
> > pretty good talk (but not the most passionate I've ever
> seen...) Also a
> > woman from Russia spoke after her about Russia and harm
> reduction.  Powerful
> > and depressing that IDUs have NO access to health care at all
> and in many
> > countries are being shot in the streets by police.  Plus
> people are
> > imprisoned for even helping others with harm reduction.
> we've got it so
> > good in Canada I must say....
> > Session on positive women coming into leadership roles - not
> huge numbers
> > but the poz women from UK are very organized and inspiring...
> > Lots of talk about circumcision - LOTS of Afirican men are
> having it done -
> > interesting and unexpected.
> > I love Annie Lennox who is VERY passionate about human rights
> and HIV and
> > womens issues.  Plus Michel Sidibe , the ED of UNAIDS is GREAT.
> > that's my quick random notes for now...off to global village
> for some
> > unstructured time before a session on GIPA that Shari (Margolese) is
> moderating, then to
> > the Canadian delegates party.
> > hugs from vienna,



July 20th

Hot off the press!   New microbocide data from the CAPRISA study in
South Africa.  A tenofovir based micobicide has shown to be up to 54%
effective in highly adherent women.  This is a huge breakthrough.
Finally some success with a woman controlled prevention method!  When
the study was presented it received 3 standing ovations.  It's the
buzz of the conference!

On another note, the Canadian Pavillion was slashed and damaged in a
protest against the Canadian Government's refusal to sign the Vienna
Declaration and once again Harper has refused to attend the
conference. Shame on the Canadian Government!
Go to www. aids2010.com  to read and sign the Vienna Declaration.
 not much time to report at this moment since off to session called
'Applying the Criminal Law to Hiv transmission: Is this What Women
Really Need?'
Im fascinated by this topic really...
I misssed this mornings plenary and will have to watch it online as it
was specifially about the geneva Tx as prevention efforts, so very
relevant.
Last night's March was INCREDIBLE.   I ended up marching and holding
the banner for ACT UP PARIS -  Act UP!  Fight BACK!  It was GREAT...
we did three DIE INS along the way.
Annie Lennox was amazing - love her even more now.

July 22nd
I had the same reaction about the microbicides yes, it's an
improvement over the previous 25 or what ever low percentage
effectiveness it was...  but 54% is still too low.  BUT!   this is
ground breaking becasue it's the first success with a whole new
approach - using ARV based microbicide, tenofovir.  So, this means
that same technology will now be developed and there are great chances
that it will only get better.  the scientists are VERY optimistic
about it.  Kind of compare it to the first PIs - it was a huge break
through but we've come along way from crixivan, right?   the research
presentation got 3 standing ovations which has never happened at an
AIDS confernece before, so it really is very good news!
more later gotta run.
YES send the relevant info to the VIVA gals!
thanks for doing that since I don't have time to polish it off
properly.  love to you,kath