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AIDS gathering to promote teamwork

South Africa's third national HIV/AIDS conference next year will seek joint strategies against the pandemic, Human Sciences Research Council director Olive Shisana has said.

Unlike previous conferences, which were marred by tensions between the government and activists over the provision of anti-AIDS drugs, Shisana said the 5-8 June gathering would serve as an arena for scientists, activists, policymakers and HIV-positive people to exchange ideas on addressing the disease.

"We are all committed to dealing with AIDS, but there have been so many tensions," she told the local Business Day newspaper. "We'd like to smooth matters by using the evidence that has been generated to inform what we do and say."

An estimated 5.4 million South Africans are living with the HI virus, and Shisana said special prominence would be given to HIV-positive people.


This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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