AFRO-NETS> International HIV/AIDS Treatment Education and Advocacy Summit

[Dieter Neuvians MD <neuvians@mweb.co.za>]

International HIV/AIDS Treatment Education and Advocacy Summit
--------------------------------------------------------------

13 - 16 March 2003
Cape Town, South Africa

Deadline to receive the application: January 31, 2003.

An international coalition of HIV/AIDS organizations and individual 
advocates are sponsoring a four-day global summit on "treatment pre-
paredness" in March 2003 in Cape Town, South Africa.

"Treatment preparedness" is a term used to describe HIV/AIDS treat-
ment education and advocacy efforts that are designed to increase ac-
cess to and demand for HIV/AIDS treatment and prepare communities for 
safe and effective use of HIV therapies. We are using the term 
"HIV/AIDS treatment" to encompass a broad range of treatment and care 
interventions, including, but not limited to, treatment of opportun-
istic infections and sexually transmitted infections, palliative 
care, and antiretroviral therapy.

The International HIV/AIDS Treatment Education and Advocacy Summit 
will be a relatively small gathering of approximately 125 people. The 
primary goal of the meeting is to create a framework for the develop-
ment, maintenance and enhancement of local and regional treatment 
preparedness efforts around the world.

To our knowledge, this is the first global summit that will be evalu-
ating treatment preparedness efforts worldwide. The summit will also 
be the first chance for many people working on treatment education 
and advocacy around the world to meet and discuss their work. Fi-
nally, the summit will offer an opportunity to strategize about solu-
tions to systemic challenges that affect treatment advocacy and edu-
cation efforts.

The Summit will have four main sections:

The first section will consist of regional reports about treatment 
access and education. Presenters from five regions will answer these 
questions:

* What is the state of treatment availability in the region? 
* What treatment advocacy efforts are happening in the region? 
* What treatment education efforts are happening in the region?

Regional subcommittees of the organizing committee will prepare these 
reports in advance of the summit.

The five regions are: 
* Eastern Europe and the States of the Former Soviet Union/Central
  Asia; 
* Africa; 
* United States, Canada and Western Europe; 
* Latin America and the Caribbean; and 
* Asia-Pacific (East Asia and Pacific, South and Southeast Asia, in-
  cluding Australia, New Zealand and Japan).

The second section of the meeting is dedicated to identifying needs, 
obstacles, and models for strengthening treatment advocacy and educa-
tion, including:

* Identifying models for treatment education materials in various
  forms;
* Defining the components of a "minimum" package of treatment educa-
  tion services and information;
* Defining treatment advocacy; 
* Determining local and regional advocacy needs;
* Discussing how to start and strengthen treatment education and
  treatment advocacy programs, and
* Identifying and overcoming challenges to our progress in treatment
  education and advocacy.

The third section of the meeting will give participants the opportu-
nity to meet with other advocates and educators from their regions to 
discuss: 
* specific regional needs; 
* how to apply ideas and strategies raised during the meeting in a
  local setting; 
* how regional networks and information sharing can be built and/or 
  strengthened, and
* the organization of regional meetings on treatment education and 
  advocacy.

The fourth section of the meeting will be devoted to systemic issues, 
including:
* Identifying and securing funding for local and regional efforts;
* Establishing resource centers for treatment preparedness materials;
* Technical assistance;
* Collaborating and creating linkages with health care providers,
  drug treatment and harm reduction providers, NGOs, and others who
  provide HIV care and education; and 
* Global and regional advocacy efforts.

Airfare, accommodation, meals and a small per diem will be offered to 
all applicants that are selected by the ITP working group to attend 
the summit.

To learn more about the International HIV/AIDS Treatment Education 
and Advocacy Summit, please
mailto:treatmentpreparedness2003@yahoo.com

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