The annual International Conference on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis, and Prevention Research (INTEREST) Conference is the premier scientific conference for HIV in Africa and brings together scientists involved in HIV treatment, pathogenesis, and prevention research from around the world. The conference will showcase cutting-edge knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV and the prevention of the HIV-1 infection. Additionally, it will continue to foster building a community of African physicians and scientists to facilitate the implementation of local solutions for the management of patients living with HIV-1 infection and for the prevention of HIV transmission.
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INTEREST 2025
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Politics and Global Health: The Need for a New, Resilient Architecture
Recent, dramatic shifts in global health funding include cuts to US and UK foreign aid. This has had a cascade of devastating consequences on treatment and prevention programmes, including for HIV and TB across the globe. Mitchell Warren will provide updates on AVAC’s court challenge against the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID and offer his insights into what a more resilient global health funding infrastructure could look like.
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Self-Care in an Era of Misinformation and Disinformation
Join The Reunion Project on April 9 from 1-2:30pm ET for the next webinar in our Long-term Survivor Toolkit series where we will consider strategies to prioritize our own self-care and wellness and by doing so, support the community around us. We are living in trying times and it is important now more than ever to check in with ourselves and each other. Together we will make a plan and take action.
We will be joined by featured speaker Kenyon Farrow—American writer, activist, director, and educator focused on progressive racial and economic justice issues related to the LGBTQIA+ community. We will also be joined by a panel of community members who will share their own experiences and practices when considering their own self-care and wellness routines as people living with HIV. Let’s join together and lift each other up.
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Fight for our Lives Emergency Townhall
Join AVAC and GBGMC for the next “Fight For Our Lives” Emergency Townhall to learn more about how the recent freeze on US government foreign assistance has impacted the availability of PrEP, including the rollout of injectable cabotegravir for PrEP, and what this means for key populations and LGBTQ+ communities.
This is an ongoing series. Times shown are Eastern Time. Find the time in your region here.
- Apr 17, 2025 10:00 AM
- Apr 22, 2025 10:00 AM
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WHO-Lancet Global Health Series: Shaping the Future of Clinical Trials
WHO and partners will convene to launch the Lancet Global health series: Shaping the Future of Clinical Trials. Details and registration link below.
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Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Moving forward post-the 2024 US Election
Held on March 12, you can view the event recording below.
Featuring:
- Sekai Chikowero, Vice President of Programs, EngenderHealth
- Francine Coeytaux, Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor, Plan C Pills
- Eszter Kismödi, Chief Executive, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters
- Mitchell Warren, Executive Director, AVAC
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State of PEPFAR
Join the Congressional Caucus on Black Women & Girls Co-Chairs Robin Kelly (IL-02), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and the Global AIDS Policy Partnership for a hybrid briefing discussing the current status of PEPFAR programming, the significant impact PEPFAR has on Black Women globally, and the consequences that follow terminated funding.
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CROI 2025 Community Breakfast Meetings
The Community Breakfast Clubs are virtual webinars coordinated by the CROI Community Liaisons, the European AIDS Treatment Group, AVAC, and their global collaborators. They feature researchers and advocates discussing some of the most consequential science being presented at CROI.
Session Recordings
Breaking New Ground: The latest advances in HIV cure
March 10, 2025
AVAC, the CROI Community Liaison Subcommittee and European AIDS Treatment Group hosted the first virtual Community Breakfast Meeting (CBMs) for the 2025 CROI meeting. Speaker details and recording below:
Moderator: Michael Louell, University of Washington-Seattle, Fred Hutch Center for AIDS research
Speakers
- Dr. Katie Bar, University of Pennsylvania, CROI Scientific Program Committee
- Dr. Marina Caskey, Rockerfeller University
- Dr. Steven Deeks, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
- Ms. Doreen Mora Moracha, HIV Cure Advocate- Kenya, CROI Community Educator Scholar
The End of AIDS — Near and Far? (40 Years of HIV)
March 11, 2025
AVAC, the CROI Community Liaison Subcommittee and European AIDS Treatment Group hosted the second virtual Community Breakfast Clubs (CBCs) for the 2025 CROI meeting. Speaker details and recording below:
Moderator: Grace Kumwenda, AVAC
Speakers:
- Dr. Chris Beyrer, Duke Global Health Institute
- Chilufya Kasanda, Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign – Zambia, CROI Community Educator Scholar
- Dr. Mitch Matoga, UNC, Malawi
Still Here! Living with HIV Long-Term
March 12, 2025
AVAC, the CROI Community Liaison Subcommittee and European AIDS Treatment Group hosted the third and final virtual Community Breakfast Clubs (CBCs) for the 2025 CROI meeting. Speaker details and recording below:
Moderator: Sean Hosein, European AIDS Treatment Group – Canada
Speakers:
- Kennedy Mupeli, Center for Youth of Hope – Botswana, CROI Community Educator Scholar
- Dr. Peter Hunt, University of California San Francisco, CROI Scientific Program Committee
- Dr. Laura Waters, The Mortimer Market Centre – London
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Can Africa Finance its Own Non-profit Sector?
The webinar will explore whether shifts in the US government’s funding is a setback or an opportunity to rethink Africa’s reliance on Western aid.
Featuring:
- Angelo Katumba — Senior Program Manager: AVAC
- Yvette Raphael — Executive Director of Advocates for the Prevention of HIV in Africa
- Dr. Michael Kiragu — AICS Associate & Grant Fundraising Expert
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The Impact and Implications of Recent US Government Federal Funding Reductions on Health Programmes
The University of the Witwatersrand‘s Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics presented a webinar featuring:
- Mia Malan, founder and editor-in-chief of the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism – an independent media organisation that specialises in narrative, solutions journalism focusing on health and social justice issues across Africa.
- Dr Ntombifikile Nokwethemba Mtshali, Chief Executive Officer of Shout-It-Now, an organisation focused on providing sexual and reproductive health and rights services
to youth in the Gauteng and North-West provinces.
- Mitchell Warren, Executive Director of AVAC – an advocacy organisation focused on accelerating access to effective HIV prevention options and ensuring access to everyone who needs them. Mitchell also worked with Population Services International (PSI) designing and implementing social marketing, communications and health promotion activities, including five years running PSI’s project in South Africa.