UNAIDS — On our way to the World Economic Forum in Davos!
The Executive Director of UNAIDS Winnie Byanyima is on her way to the World Economic Forum in Davos to alert leaders that breakthrough HIV medicines are set to give the world a shot at ending AIDS.
She will call on leaders to act with urgency to ensure widespread access to the new innovations which, with just twice-yearly injections, have proven to be more than 95% effective in preventing HIV. They could be set to revolutionize HIV prevention, and trials are underway to unlock their potential for long-acting treatments for HIV.
UNAIDS will warn of the consequences of inaction. When antiretroviral treatments first emerged in the 1990’s, they were inaccessible to millions in the Global South. This caused the deaths of 12 million people in Africa between 1997 and 2000 and millions more contracted the virus.
This time, the world has to do better. Pharmaceutical companies must lower prices and ensure widespread access to these life-saving medicines. Governments must encourage innovation and the development of new medicines and combinations, prioritize funding and reform unfair systems that stifle progress, including debt relief and fairer trade rules.
With the help of these new technologies ending AIDS could be within reach much sooner than was previously thought.
UNAIDS is calling on world leaders to seize this revolutionary opportunity, act with urgency, and ensure these game-changing innovations are available to everyone, everywhere.