National AIDS Strategy

Kaiser has put up the full broadcast of the session The USA HIV Epidemic in 2008 from the conference last night. At about 3 minutes 30 seconds, the protesters enter and speaker U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee asks everyone to give them a round of applause, and continues to refer to them and quote from their signs throughout her speech...

 

 

Click for Video

Wednesday was a busy day for activists here at the IAC. A number of actions were held--I counted at least four--including one targeting the United States for failing to fight HIV/AIDS. U.S. AIDS activists marched through the halls, media center and into the "US HIV Epidemic in 2008" session, issuing a grade of "F" to U.S. policy makers, and demanding a National AIDS Strategy and a reform of the U.S. global AIDS plan to ensure the U.S. treats four million people worldwide and funds only evidence-based HIV prevention programs.

Check out the photos and videos below to see us in action!  read more »

Despite the debates, disagreements, and challenges, there was one theme that virtually everyone from the United States could agree on: It's time for the U.S. government to create and properly implement a National AIDS Strategy.

Senator Barack Obama issued a statement endorsing the creation of such a strategy and U.S. Representative Barbara Lee spoke passionately about it. Even Dr. Kevin Fenton, head of CDC's HIV/STD/TB Division, said the agency supports the bold idea.

A poster presentation, comparing the AIDS-related public records and statements of Sen. Obama and Senator John McCain, noted that McCain has remained silent on this non-partisan issue.

A distinguished panel of experts, including Rep. Lee, at the Black AIDS Institute's press conference noted the urgent need for the U.S. to bring more rigor and focus to its anti-HIV related activities.  read more »

As top CDC officials arrive today in Mexico City, U.S. activists and their allies are eagerly preparing to confront policymakers to hold them accountable for the worsening HIV epidemic in the U.S.  read more »

Activists will gather today, August 6, at 4:00 pm (CST) outside of the Media Center, and then will march to, and disrupt, the U.S. HIV epidemic session in order to issue an “F” report card to the speakers.

Click for Video In Mexico City this week for the International AIDS Conference, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) says the U.S. must create and implement a National AIDS Strategy.

There was a flurry of press activity yesterday due to the release of the long-awaited revision of HIV incidence estimates for the United States...

This morning, CHAMP put out a release calling for a national AIDS strategy that would bridge race and sexuality. Here's some of the key quotes; the full release is available in the AIDS2008.com press room:

Walt Senterfitt, CHAMP board co-chair and an epidemiologist living with HIV who served as a Visiting Scientist at CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention:

“The new estimates confirm that a vast majority of new infections in the U.S. occur in gay and bisexual men, and that Blacks are significantly more heavily impacted than other racial/ethnic categories. However, the data fail to clearly link the two, perpetuating a longstanding, damaging polarization. We need CDC to clearly show the HIV incidence numbers in gay men and other MSM of color.

A substantial number of Black people infected every year are gay or bisexual, and a substantial proportion of gay and bisexual men infected are Black. In fact, the heaviest impact is at the nexus of the two – being both black and a man who has sex with men. Yet this population is significantly marginalized, even stigmatized within both larger populations of which it is an integral part. A national AIDS strategy must tackle this fundamental challenge."

Jim Pickett, Director of Advocacy at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago:  read more »