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PRESS
RELEASES
APCASO
would like to reiterate we are against the postponement of the 7th ICAAP. For
we are only too aware that with the postponement the Asia Pacific region would
have lost its only platform which brings together all partners concerned including
national governments, regional organisations, community-based organisations and
non-government organisations, the scientific community, faith-based organisations
and religious leaders, people living with HIV/AIDS and affected communities and
the business sector to share knowledge, skills, ideas and inspiration so that
we can scale-up responses to the level which they are needed.
It
would be highly regrettable if the Conference is postponed at a time when the
epidemic threatens to turn this region to be the hardest hit surpassing sub-Saharan
Africa and when the need for enormous scaling up of access to HIV treatment and
access to HIV prevention is required more than ever.
If
the LOC is unable to rescind its decision to postpone a proposal has to be presented
by the LOC on how it proposes to minimise the impact of a postponement such as
alternative events, and what arrangements have to be made if a postponement is
inevitable, we support the conditions which have been outlined by Prof Altman.
In particular, the point on a strengthen role of the IAC in future deliberations
Regards
Susan Chong
APCASO
APN+
I am also disturbed by the
negative impact postponing the conference for two years would have, as this would
effectively be the same as cancelling a conference. It would hold up important
communication among people working in the sector throughout the Asia-Pacific region
for another two years. Not all of us can attend the global conferences.
It is true that there was a big panic in Japan over the case of the Taiwanese
doctor who was diagnosed with SARS after returning home from a trip to Kansai,
but no cases of SARS have been found in Japan since then. This may have been due
to luck as much as good management, but it has also given the authorities in Japan
a wake-up call and will encourage them to be better prepared for the possibility
of one or two infected people entering the country at a later date.
I
also believe that the efforts of health authorities in all affected countries
will make it much more difficult for any new SARS outbreak next winter to have
the same impact as we have seen earlier this year. Not only are they now aware
of the virus that causes the disease, they have also worked out how to prevent
it spreading.
I urge you not to postpone the conference but to proceed
as planned, taking all possible precautions to deal safely and humanely I stress
humanely with any SARS infected individual or individuals who may arrive in
Japan for the 7th ICAAP.
Best wishes,
Edwin Whenmout
APN+ |
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NEW - (Colombo, 19 January 2007) The AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific (ASAP) and UNAIDS have met today in Colombo, Sri Lanka as members of the International Advisory Committee (IAC) to the 8 th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) which is scheduled to be held in Colombo between 19-23 August 2007. 
