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International AIDS Conference

Here are Karen McReady's updates from the International AIDS Conference, Mexico (3-8 August 2008).


08/21/08
HIV POSITIVE Experience
Category: Karen
Posted by: WUP_admin
This is my experience wearing my HIV-positive t-shirt.  I decided to wear it as a went through U.S. Customs and Border Control when I was on my way back to the U.S. en route to the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, Mexico.  As an artifact left over from the early days of the HIV epidemic (and in line with certain factions of right wingers in the U.S. today), the United States has a complete ban on the entry of HIV-positive persons who are not U.S. citizens and has a policy of deporting any foreigners who are found to be living with HIV or who test positive while in the U.S.  Because of this, I wanted to see the reaction of the immigration officials to me wearing my t-shirt as I entered the U.S. through JFK airport (particularly because I am a U.S. citizen and can't be denied entry to my own country regardless of my HIV status).
 
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08/12/08
International AIDS Conference 2008 Mexico - Day 3
Category: Karen
Posted by: WUP_admin
Hi everyone,

So today was Day 3 at the conference and a really good (though thankfully short) day. I had my poster to do today, so after that finished this afternoon I skipped the last sessions of the day to relax! But considering I was there at 6:30am, it felt like a pretty full day. So here's what I did/thought about today:

(1) I went to the early morning satellite session that Hans suggested on ARV Best Practices for IDUs run by the Open Society Institute. I had no idea that OSI was doing this session and found out after the fact that one of my really good friends back in NYC who works for OSI organized it. They are in the process of publishing a book based on the subject of this session (all the presenters have written a chapter), so I will make sure my friend gets that in my hands as soon as it's published (which should be very shortly). The session was really excellent and I left them my business card so they can send me the presenters' PPT slides, but here are the highlights.

- Background: IDUs are often put in the position of choosing between oral substitution therapy (OST) and ART because too often services are not integrated; however, ongoing injection has been found to be associated with non-adherence to ART. In addition, because IDUs generally do not seek out health and social services while using, harm reduction programmes serve an important role as a bridge between hard-to-reach drug using populations and these clinical and support services.

- A one-site model for comprehensive care is ideal. This approach should ideally include: treatment for psychological co-morbidities (depression), management of ART and OI side effects and pain (because IDUs are accutely sensitive to pain and this may push them back into medicating with injectable drugs), adherence counseling (which ideally also includes peers and family, when possible). There is also some suggestion that DOT (directly observed therapy - basically a community health worker administering/observing client taking daily ART) may improve ART adherence with this population, however, the drawbacks to this approach are increased staff time and further stigmatization of the IDU. In particular, programmes should also seek to reach out to women IDUs through reproductive health services, PMTCT, and OST for pregant women.
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08/06/08
International AIDS Conference 2008 Mexico - Day 2
Category: Karen
Posted by: WUP_admin
Hi all,

Just wanted to send you another little update after my second day here at the International AIDS Conference. A few things that came up or that I was thinking of throughout the day:

(1) There was a young woman who spoke during the morning plenary session named Thembi Ngubane who does a radio diary of being a young person living with HIV. You can visit the website at www.aidsdiary.org. She was really great and her story is really moving. While I was listening to her, I was wondering if it would be possible for us to start a similar project for WUP. Like, could we find several young people who represent the different faces of HIV/AIDS in Pune (a slum dweller, a university student, a corporate professional, etc.) who would be willing to keep an audio diary or a blog that could be accessed through the WUP website? They wouldn't have to use their real names or show any photographs, just tell the story of their day to day lives both living with HIV and as just normal young people. I think this would really help to get the message out there that people with HIV are just like everyone else and would help address the stigma of living with the virus. It could also serve as a platform for moving young people who might otherwise feel discriminated against from the shadows and into advocacy and activism, which I think would be very personally empowering for them. What do you think? Has anything like this been tried before?
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08/06/08
International AIDS Conference 2008 Mexico - Day 1
Category: Karen
Posted by: WUP_admin
Hey all,

Just wanted to send you a little update from Mexico. I made it here safely yesterday and ironically enough Azzi was on my flight just 5 rows behind me!! So we got to hang out some and are planning for margaritas later in the week. Nothing much really happened yesterday since it was the first day and the opening session wasn't until the evening. I did find some Indian NGOs in the Global Village, but there wasn't really anyone manning their booths yet so I will go back and stalk them later in the week. I did meet someone from Saheli though! Such a small world.


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