Report from the Durban WORLD AIDS CONFERENCE
Durban, South Africa
Sunday July 9
reported by Jules Levin

Report 4

DURBAN WORLD AIDS CONFERENCE OPENING CEREMONY
MBEKI DOESN'T BUDGE, WON"T OFFER DRUGS--AZT, NEVIRAPINE

The opening ceremony at the Durban World AIDS Conference is being held in an open air soccer stadium two blocks from the convention center. The ceremony is being started by a person on the stage asking people to raise banner they received prior to the start which says ACT UP on it and to yell ACT UP. This is being followed by a minute of silence. Music, dancers and a singer start up on stage. This is interspersed with pictures of black and white children with AIDS. The singer says its like stab that's never-endingÖÖSometimes I feel so sad and emptyÖÖSay a prayer for the fallen angelsÖ.No more.

I think Durban was a great choice for holding this conference. But it's quite discouraging and sad to see people here with HIV from India, Africa, who will not receive HIV treatment in the foreseeable future.

A speaker says it's time to Break The Silence as a lone drummer in local garb bangs his drum on stage. There are many accompanying children and adults banging their drums and walking onto the stage to accompanying flutes. Several men in costume are being lowered onto the stage as they bang their drums. All are dressed in colorful local garb. And there is a large chorus.

Incidentally, tomorrow the work starts. Abbott is presenting new 24 week data on ABT-378 (% <500) in mutilpe PI failures. Glaxo Wellcome is presenting additional data on abacavir + 2 NRTIs for people with >100,000 copies/ml at baseline.

Prof Jerry Coordavia is opening the ceremonial initial comments. He spoke at the India Satellite yesterday. Standing alongside him are several conference organizers. He said the conference is longer than a moment in time. He says we can remember each person taken away by this disease. We all provide the chemistry to find a new way forward. It was just a few brief words.

A speaker says-- It's time to BREAK THE SILENCE. Talk candidly, openly, searching to find the truth--cloaked by moral self-serving agendasÖÖIn other words, we must talk about the situations in Africa, India, and developing countries. Something will hopefully come of it. A lone dancer appears on stage, and additional dancers join him to very soothing music. 

Mbeki starts his "welcoming talk". He talks as if AIDS is something alien to him. Freedom & democracy is only 6 years old in South Africa. He says we are overestimating what the 13th AIDS Conference can do for South Africa's suffering people. He starts talking about how poverty is the lead cause for sickness and diseaseÖÖThe gap between rich and poor is wideningÖ..He starts talking about how little is available to spend on a person for healthcare in the developing worldÖ..In the richest country life expectancy will increase to 79 years but in the poorest it will decline to I think he said 42 or 49 years.

"HIV and AIDS are having a devastating effect on young peopleÖ..Africa is confronted by a health crisisÖÖ.the collapse of the immune systemÖit's a frightening storyÖ..we cannot blame everything on a single virusÖÖ..we have to guarantee our people good healthÖÖ.so I began to ask the questions to learn about AIDSÖÖÖWHERE HAS HE BEEN FOR 15 YEARS?Öhe is waiting to hear from his panel of experts..Öhe looks forward to their opinions by the end of the yearÖ..on whether the antibody test is accurate. In the meantime he will focus on nutrition, STDs, poverty, etc. 

In other words--NO SUPPORT FOR TREATMENT ACCESS, NO ADMISSION THAT HIV CAUSES AIDS, NO SUPPORT THAT AZT & NEVIRAPINE CAN BE OFFERED in SOUTH AFRICA. What nerve! I am stunned although I expected that he would not change his position. Later and tomorrow I'll hear others feelings about these comments and I'll relate their response to you. Its 8:30pm, Off to DINNER>

This guy has not budged one bit in this statement. Then he ends by saying that we came here because we care (the visitors).

OPENING CEREMONIES ENDED.