The International AIDS Society condemns raid on key HIV research facility in Uganda
Monday, 7 April 2014 (Geneva, Switzerland) — The International AIDS Society (IAS), the leading independent global association of professionals working in HIV, strongly condemns the raid carried out by the Ugandan authorities on the Makerere University Walter Reed Project, a key HIV research facility, on April 3. During the raid one staff member was arrested and later released. The authorities alleged, incorrectly, that the centre was carrying out unethical research and recruiting homosexuals.
The remarkable success so far achieved in the fight against HIV in Uganda and the world is because of the combined efforts of researchers, people living with HIV, political and community leaders, healthcare workers and governments. It is now well established that all efforts, including HIV research, prevention and treatment must focus on key affected populations and those vulnerable if we are to defeat AIDS.
The Ugandan Government should protect and promote the basic legal rights of those providing much needed HIV research, prevention, treatment and care services and of their clients. It should support HIV professionals by providing healthy and fair conditions of work as well as freedom to carry out their work without fear or intimidation. It must not harass them, stigmatize the people needing their services or restrict their ability to provide essential services.
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About the IAS
The International AIDS Society (IAS) is the world’s leading independent association of HIV professionals, with over 16,000 members from more than 176 countries working at all levels of the global response to AIDS. The IAS members include researchers from all disciplines, clinicians, public health and community practitioners on the frontlines of the epidemic, as well as policy and programme planners.
The IAS is custodian of the biennial International AIDS Conference, which will be held in Melbourne, Australia, 20-25 July 2014 and lead organizer of the IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, which will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 19-22 July 2015
www.iasociety.org | www.aids2014.org | www.ias2015.org
For more information:
Sian Bowen (Geneva, Switzerland)
IAS Senior Manager, Communications
Email: Sian.Bowen@iasociety.org
Tel: +41 22 710 0864
Francesca Da Ros (Geneva, Switzerland)
IAS Senior Coordinator, Communications and Media
Email: Francesca.Daros@iasociety.org
Tel: +41 22 710 0822
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