With an estimated 15,000 delegates from 160 countries expected to attend the XV International AIDS Conference, Bangkok is gearing up to host what is likely to be the largest ever AIDS meeting.
The first of its kind to take place in South-East Asia, the International AIDS Conference, which will take place from 11 to 16 July and will be inaugurated by United Nations Secretary-general Kofi Annan, will focus on how to advance access to science, prevention, treatment and resources for all people around the world.

The Conference, themed “Access for All”, focus on the topics of community, science and leadership. The focus on leadership, a new initiative, reflects plans to bring public officials as well as other leaders to the stage to share their commitment to fight the epidemic the world over.

“Fighting HIV is always going to need global backing and we are delighted to bring leaders from all walks of life to raise the debate and get commitment in the ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS”, commented Dr. Joep Lange, the President of the International AIDS Society (IAS), the key Conference organizer.
Organized every two years, such Conferences are collaborations between IAS, local hosts (in this case the Thai Ministry of Public Health) and key organizations including the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO), the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW) as well as the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+). This year, the Thai NGO Coalition on AIDS (TNCA) will also be among the co-organizers.

In another development, Thailand is expected to officially announce at the Conference its plan to provide enough cheap AIDS drugs to treat 30,000 patients in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. As reported in UN Wire (26 May), this would make Thailand the first country to distribute AIDS drugs free of charge to other, poorer countries, a move which is expected will be emulated by other countries.
Note: In keeping with the Conference’s theme “Access for All”, portions of the Conference will be available for viewing on the Internet at no cost and with no registration (visit http://www.aids2004.org).