New Year’s Message from IAPAC’s President/CEO

Happy New Year to one and all. I hesitate to use the word “happy” in conjunction with this new year given the turmoil we endured in 2020 and seem to have inherited, at least for the moment, in 2021. Nonetheless, I extend my warmest wishes to our members, allies, colleagues, and friends for a healthy new year in which we re-commit to regain our forward momentum against HIV, TB, viral hepatitis, and other health conditions.

We have many IAPAC priorities for 2021. Some of these priorities are extensions of our ongoing work to maintain a continuity of HIV, TB, and viral hepatitis services within the context of COVID-19. We also will maintain our support for more than 300 Fast-Track Cities to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 of ending the epidemics of HIV, TB, and addressing viral hepatitis) alongside SDG 11 of making cities, municipalities, and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Several of our other priorities are not new, but they represent areas of increased activity for IAPAC (and the newly launched Fast-Track Cities Institute) over the course of the next two years. Among these priorities I will highlight four that are of critical importance:

In advancing these priorities, we are eager to work with IAPAC members, allies, colleagues, and friends. We welcome new and look forward to strengthening existing partnerships. And, we invite innovative ideas for what more we can do, as an association of 30,000-plus members, to fulfill our global mission.

I close recognizing that as we start the new year, IAPAC (and the world) have sadly lost two indefatigable leaders. Earlier this month, we bid farewell to our Chair Emeritus, Rabbi Allen I. Freehling, who passed away January 6, 2021. We also learned of the death of Dr. John G. Bartlett, a former IAPAC Trustee and Editor Emeritus of the Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (JIAPAC). On behalf of the IAPAC family, I extend my condolences to their respective families.

– Dr. José M. Zuniga

Washington, DC

Dr. John G. Bartlett (above left) was a former IAPAC Trustee and Editor Emeritus of the Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (JIAPAC); Rabbi Allen I. Freehling (above right) served as Chair of the IAPAC Board of Trustees for 20 years before retiring to serve as Chair Emeritus.

IAPAC welcomes the announcement by White House Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anthony Fauci, that the United States is re-committing to the World Health Organization (WHO) as a member-state. This important step is critical to collectively end the COVID-19 pandemic and regain momentum across various health responses, including HIV.

“Viruses know no boundaries,” said IAPAC President/CEO Dr. José M. Zuniga in a statement following the January 21, 2021, White House announcement. “International cooperation in public health is thus critical to eliminate the threat that the COVID-19 pandemic poses globally.”

Dr. Zuniga noted the WHO requires strengthening, and added that reforms are underway to transform the global health agency so that it is relevant to meet 21st century needs. “We are therefore encouraged that the United States of America is committed to working constructively with other member-states to transform the WHO into such an agency so that it may fulfill its mission to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable with measurable impact,” he said.

The new Fast-Track Cities Institute was launched this month to amplify technical and other support provided to more than 300 cities and municipalities worldwide as they strive to fulfill their commitments under the Paris Declaration on Fast-Track Cities.

“As we embark upon the seventh year of the Fast-Track Cities initiative, our global network requires a dedicated hub and platform to connect with cities and municipalities, document and share their experiences, and mobilize around a wide range of policy issues related to ending the epidemics of HIV, TB, and viral hepatitis by 2030,” said IAPAC President/CEO Dr. José M. Zuniga, who will also lead the Fast-Track Cities Institute.

Since World AIDS Day 2014, the Fast-Track Cities initiative has been coordinated by four core partners – IAPAC, UNAIDS, UN-Habitat, and the City of Paris. The Fast-Track Cities Institute will augment the work of the four core partners and will collaborate with a wider range of partners, including the Stop TB Partnership and World Hepatitis Alliance.

The COVID-19 in the Americas conference continued its series of panel discussions in January 2021 with nine sessions in both English and Spanish dedicated to topics ranging from palliative care to the role of government in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 as well as the challenge of combating health misinformation.

UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director for Programs Dr. Shannon Hader joined IAPAC President/CEO Dr. José M. Zuniga for a panel discussion on January 17, 2021, about city multilateralism and the role of urban leadership in ending the COVID-19 pandemic. The panel was moderated by IAPAC Senior Advisor on Public Health, Corey Prachniak-Rincón.

Dr. Hader spoke from her prior experience working with former Mayor Adrian Fenty in overhauling the municipal HIV response in Washington, DC:

“You can change outcomes rapidly,” said Dr. Hader, who illustrated interventions such as a needle-exchange program that contributed to a rapid reduction in the incidence of new HIV infections in Washington, DC. “In an urban area, when you line up the partners, things can move quickly.”

Be sure you are registered for periodic announcements about upcoming panels throughout 2021. If you have missed a previous live session, you can follow the link below to load the COVID-19 in The Americas conference playlist on YouTube.

The COVID-19 in The Americas conference is sponsored by IAPAC in collaboration with the AHF Global Public Health Institute and the Institute of Advanced Study of The Americas, which are both located at the University of Miami.

IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission Tackles Urban HIV

IAPAC convened the second meeting of the IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission on the Future of Urban HIV Responses in mid-January 2021. The virtual meeting brought together experts from around the world to continue the discussion that began late last year regarding the areas that cities and municipalities, in partnership with national and international actors, should focus upon to end the HIV pandemic by 2030.

Among the key topics in discussion at this early stage were how to search for commonality and acknowledge differences between cities and municipalities around the globe; how to address systemic injustices, such as racism, sexism, and transphobia, throughout the Commission’s report; and how to tackle the tensions that exist when cities and municipalities bear much responsibility for but have limited authority with respect to public health. The Commission will continue its work throughout 2021 with support from ViiV Healthcare and the Fast-Track Cities Institute.

Adherence 2021 Seeks Abstract Submissions

The abstract submission portal for Adherence 2021 is open!

Abstracts must be submitted online by February 26, 2021, and will be considered for oral or e-poster presentation. Submitted abstracts should report information not previously published, or intended to be published, prior to May 14, 2021.

Abstract submissions are encouraged in a wide variety of domains, including:

Abstract submission guidance is available on the conference website. Adherence 2021 is scheduled to take place June 13-15, 2021, in Orlando, FL, USA. Contingency plans are in place in the event the conference transitions to virtual and/or a hybrid format.

The Fast-Track Cities 2021 conference - the third gathering of more than 300 Fast-Track Cities - will take place October 20-22, 2021, in Lisbon, Portugal, organized by IAPAC, in collaboration with UNAIDS and the Fast-Track Cities Institute.