Conference Concept

The HIV epidemic continues to grow. Despite the efforts of the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) to contain it at the concentrated stage, the infection is starting to go beyond the most vulnerable groups to the general population. This trend gravely endangers the demographic situation and economic development.

At the same time, the region has the potential not only to efficiently hold back the epidemic but also to stop it from being a threat to human health by 2030. These goals are achievable thanks to to the latest scientific studies in treatment as prevention, an increase in the number of people on treatment, availability of staff and finances, building up a potent civil society and developing sustainable healthcare systems as well as close international cooperation.

A comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS epidemic includes the concept of "treatment as prevention" with the aim to provide treatment to all those in need and prevent new HIV cases. Key objectives are still related to extending the coverage of HIV testing, including express-tests, engaging new people into the treatment programs, strengthening healthcare systems, improving prevention programs across general populations, improving the interaction with the most vulnerable groups, adjusting treatment&prevention programs to their needs alongside with overcoming stigma and discrimination. 

5th Eastern Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference (EECAAC-2016) specifically aims at extending its scope by engaging BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South African Republic) and strengthening the scientific vector. BRICS countries have extensive experience in containing the epidemic and reducing its pace. It may prove highly valuable to the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia but is not yet sufficiently covered by the scientific and technical cooperation among the countries in this area. EECAAC-2016 will pave the way to strengthening this cooperation. 

The Conference will concentrate on knowledge exchange among scientists, experts, healthcare providers, healthcare professionals and community workers in terms of the best practices and strategies to fight HIV/AIDS epidemic. This will help augment the potential of Eastern Europe and Central Asia region to achieve the target set by UNAIDS: ending AIDS epidemic by 2030.

EECAAC-2016 will continue to build upon the decisions and obligations stated as a result of Russia’s BRICS Chairmanship 2015 in the joint declaration "Contribution of BRICS countries into improving global health".

Conference Organizers

• Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor)
• Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
• Conference Secretariat

Conference Agenda

The Conference is scheduled to last for three days from March 23 to March 25, 2016. Its agenda will comprise of plenary discussions, parallel sessions and training seminars.

The Agenda is designed and approved by the Organizing Committee and three Program Committees: Science and Medicine, International Development Assistance and Civil Society. It will cover the most pressing HIV-related issues in order to bring the latest knowledge and new ways to analyze various problems across to the participants. The participants will get a chance to engage into discussions, share their experiences and establish new contacts with potential partners.

Topics for parallel sessions and seminars will be compiled based on the participants' abstracts submitted via the Conference's official website. The abstracts will be evaluated by scientific experts in the field of HIV/AIDS and related areas. The Conference Agenda will include lecturers selected and invited by the Committees.

The parallel sessions developed by the International Development Assistance Program Committee will be dedicated to HIV/AIDS-related regional and international cooperation and demonstration projects. Project Exhibition will be available for partner countries’ representatives and project operators. Conference participants may present programs and projects currently being under development or implementation.

Sessions related to the Civil Society Program Committee will be developed via organizing a copious and transparent election process and actively engaging interested representatives of the civil society. This part of the Conferences will be complemented by a series of training sessions.
BRICS healthcare experts and representatives of civil societies will be invited to the plenary meetings and parallel sessions to participate in a wide range of events:  presentations, panel discussions, round tables, etc.

The Conference will also host unique special format events dedicated to the most pressing issues of today.

Key Conference Topics

• Prevention: ensuring efficiency under current rates of the epidemiologic development
• Treatment as prevention: treat more, treat better, treat cheaper
• Successes of the region in PMTCT: lessons of the past and future objectives
• Agenda for 2015-2030: the role of new global partnerships in overcoming HIV, tuberculosis and other dangerous infectious diseases
• EECA and BRICS partnership to fight the epidemic
• Latest scientific achievements and research trends
• Human rights: overcoming stigma and discrimination
• Cultural, social and gender aspects impacting the development of epidemics
• The role of migration flows in spreading the epidemic
• Vulnerable groups
• New testing technologies: HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis
• HIV and tuberculosis
• HIV and hepatitis: living with hepatitis in the era when a complete cure is available
• Intersectoral cooperation
• Mobilization of the societies to fight the epidemic

For more information please visit the conference website.