A pan-African conference on key populations in the HIV epidemic
2nd African Conference on Key Populations in the HIV Epidemic
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - December 16 - 18, 2015
UNAIDS currently promotes the terms ‘key populations’ and ‘key populations at higher risk of HIV exposure’ to refer to members of societal groups that are the most likely to be affected by HIV. While some key populations are rather specific for particular points in space and time, others are faced with HIV-related vulnerabilities in almost all countries and settings. Among these are men who engage in sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID), and persons who sell sex (PWSS)
Purpose
This is a follow-up to the first African conference on key populations in the HIV epidemic, which was held two years ago (August, 2013) and brought together 150 participants from 22 African countries.
The purpose of this conference is to gather key population (KP) researchers, those involved in KP interventions and programming, community actors, and health service providers from across Africa in order to share experiences, lessons learnt, and research findings regarding HIV and key populations in the HIV epidemic. Through such sharing, advances and shortcomings in research, programming and policies can be identified, disseminated and discussed. An equally important additional aim of this conference is to significantly broaden and strengthen contact, collaboration and partnerships between all actors involved in the ongoing work to address the crucial issue of HIV and key populations.
Who will attend?
IIt is anticipated that the conference will be attended by
- researchers,
- policy makers,
- health personnel,
- government agencies,
- non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and
- community-based organisations (CBOs)
involved in work on HIV and HIV-related programming among persons who sell sex, persons who use drugs, men who have sex with other men, and other key populations in the HIV epidemic across Africa. Indeed, this will be a major opportunity to address advances towards, and challenges relating to, “the three zeros” (zero new infections, zero deaths and zero discrimination) for key populations in the HIV epidemic.
Purpose
This is a follow-up to the first African conference on key populations in the HIV epidemic, which was held two years ago (August, 2013) and brought together 150 participants from 22 African countries.
The purpose of this conference is to gather key population (KP) researchers, those involved in KP interventions and programming, community actors, and health service providers from across Africa in order to share experiences, lessons learnt, and research findings regarding HIV and key populations in the HIV epidemic. Through such sharing, advances and shortcomings in research, programming and policies can be identified, disseminated and discussed. An equally important additional aim of this conference is to significantly broaden and strengthen contact, collaboration and partnerships between all actors involved in the ongoing work to address the crucial issue of HIV and key populations.
Who will attend?
IIt is anticipated that the conference will be attended by
- researchers,
- policy makers,
- health personnel,
- government agencies,
- non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and
- community-based organisations (CBOs)
involved in work on HIV and HIV-related programming among persons who sell sex, persons who use drugs, men who have sex with other men, and other key populations in the HIV epidemic across Africa. Indeed, this will be a major opportunity to address advances towards, and challenges relating to, “the three zeros” (zero new infections, zero deaths and zero discrimination) for key populations in the HIV epidemic.
Conference co-organisers
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
- University of Oslo
- Tanzania National AIDS Control Programme
- Tanzania Commission for AIDS
- University of Oslo
- Tanzania National AIDS Control Programme
- Tanzania Commission for AIDS
Conference organising committee
Prof. M T Leshabari
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Dr. Kåre Moen
University of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
Dr. John Elia Mmbaga
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Dr. Kåre Moen
University of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
Dr. John Elia Mmbaga
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania