The Melbourne Experience:Sights And Sounds Of AIDS

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justice. On the opening day of the conference, some  members of the  Global Network of  People Living With HIV were dressed in peculiar attires signifying cultures of their various countries,  which  clearly stood them out to the admiration of those who know and respect what it means to fight for one’s right.
This is another lesson for not only people living positively across the globe, but for also  government of countries, who should also know that, no matter their circumstance, PLWHIV also have rights that should be judiciously respected.
Former U.S. President, Bill  Clinton’s appearance on the  3rd day of the conference turnout to be another cynosure of the conference, more because of what he said and how he handled HIV/AIDS activities who interrupted his speech.
Midway  into his speech, show cased by his comment that it is “unbelievable” that after all this time, “stigma and discrimination are on the  rise in some contexts”, the activists berged into the conference hall.
They carried placards with various inscriptions and chanted slogans, all boiling down to a  demand for  what they called “Robin Hood Tax.” It was aimed at funding HIV/AIDs treatment by governments and implementing partners.
They obviously picked the moist auspicious moment of Clinton’s appearance as the Executive Director of Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), involved in supporting HIV programmes in identified countries to state their concerns.
Unlike what statement of such calibre would do in some African climes, Clinton paused in his speech, listened to their grievances, and after they were done, continued. When he was done with his speech, almost  every participant wanted to  shake his hand, or touch him.   And from the manner in which he handled the situation, but for the impossibility of shaking everybody, he would have done so.
The other  three key memorable highlights of AIDS 2014 are the reception organised by the Nigeria Community in Melbourne to host Nigerians who attended the conference, the  Red Ribbon Award to 10 organisations working on HIV/AIDS across the world and the “Gilead Protest”.
The reception which was organised by the Nigerian society of Victoria Incorporated  (NSV), with support from the Nigeria High Commissioner  in Canberra, Australia had several dignitaries in attendance led  by the Hounourable  Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan at the conference.
Beyond providing an opportunity of seeing many Nigerians together in a foreign  land, it was  also an opportunity  for yours truly, to have a taste of typical  Nigerian equisi soup and garri.
Yours truly could also boast of having shook hands with President  Jonathan  through the Hon. Minister of Health.
For all its worth, members of NSV promised   to assist the federal government of Nigeria in health concerns, particularly HIV/AIDS –related.
Ten exceptional community-based organisations won the  2014 Red Ribbon Award for their  inspiring work in  reducing  the impact of the AIDS epidemic in their various countries. They were presented  with the prestigious  prize in a special session at the conference.
The 2014 winning orgnisations were from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guyama, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Lebanon, Malawi, Nephal, Ukraine and Venezuela.
In the Gilead  protest, treatment activists  at the conference held a die- in to protest the exorbitant pricing of Sovaldi, Gilead’s new  hepatitis C Virus (HCV) drug.
HIV positive patients with hepatitis gathered  to protest the high price of Sovaldi  which  helps to cure  hepatitis in people living with HIV/AIDS.
But the claims and counter claims by Gilead and users of the drug turned the protest into an interesting debacle.
For instance, Gilead claims  that Solvadi has to be priced high to enable them recoup their investment. Whereas  facts according to researchers  has shown  that Gilead has already sold at least $ 3 billion worth of Sovaldi, and sales  will soon surpass their  investment.
Again, Gilead claims that  the price for Sovaldi is “cost effective” because it is cheaper than a liver transplant. But facts show almost 500,000 people  die annually from hepatitis C, and that most people living with hepatitis C around the world will never even have  the hope of liver transplant.
They therefore say that a cure should not be held hostage by high prices. Medicines  should be priced so that  people who need  them can have access, not priced-based  on a comparison  with other invention.
Regarding the promise by Gilead that Sovaldi will be available everywhere, users say the company is currently making licensing agreements  that   limits access and keep prices too high for most of the world.
Meanwhile,  Gilead also states that governments across the world can pay for  Sovaldi for hepatitis  C infected people. But the true picture is that even in high income countries, Gilead’s price is completely unaffordable. Reports show that paying for Sovaldi will bankrupt healthcare and education budget of such countries.
Researchers also say that a few months of treatment with new oral drugs (including Sovaldi) can cure Hepatitis  C virus, but Gilead charges $84,000 to $168,000 for Sovaldi in the hinted states. Prices across Europe are similar.
Meanwhile, Sovaldi is unavailable and unaffordable in low-income countries, while access in high-income countries is limited.
The conference was spiced-up daily by various cultural displays by different groups portraying  different cultures  in Australia,  while different colours and shapes were used to make dresses.

From right: The Tide’s Sogbeba Dokubo, Dr Dorathy Persuad and an excited Professor Francoise Barre-Sinoussi displaying a copy of The Tide Newspaper at the just-concluded 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia