12th International Francophone Conference – AFRAVIH 2024: The PAC-CI Program Shares Its Expertise on HIV, Sexual Health, Hepatitis, and Emerging Infections.

A delegation of eight people—including seven from PAC-CI and one from a partner NGO—traveled to Yaoundé to participate in AFRAVIH from April 16 to 19, 2024. This 12th International Francophone Conference on HIV, STIs, and Sexual and Reproductive Health is the first edition to take place in Francophone sub-Saharan Africa.

After the 2020 event in Dakar was canceled due to COVID, Cameroon had the honor of hosting this 12th AFRAVIH conference at the Yaoundé Convention Center. It drew approximately 1,000 participants.

This 12th edition, themed “Engaging in Dialogue on HIV Within Communities,”provided an opportunity for researchers and policymakers from the French-speaking world to come together to discuss the latest scientific developments, as well as for representatives from civil society and community organizations to exchange ideas on the best ways to continue the fight against discrimination and ensure equal access to care for all.

Following the opening session, the program—comprising plenary sessions, parallel oral sessions, symposia, poster discussion sessions (a new feature of this conference), and visits to poster exhibitions and booths run by various stakeholders in the fight against HIV—enabled participants to discuss a range of topics.

The PAC-CI Program’s contribution to AFRAVIH took place on several levels, notably through facilitating sessions, oral and poster presentations, working sessions, and meetings with partners.

Dr. Moh, Executive Director of the PAC-CI Program, in his remarks, called on his colleagues to pool their knowledge on HIV among older adults in order to define a strategy for improved care.

Christine Katlama, President of AFRAVIH, echoed this sentiment by inviting researchers, policymakers, and organizations to unite, put an end to discrimination, and protect vulnerable people living with HIV: “ As a community, we must collectively assert loud and clear that the HIV pandemic can only be eradicated when the fear stemming from discrimination, social rejection, and the refusal to accept differences has receded, and when all communities have made the protection of vulnerable individuals their priority, rather than their repression.”

Impressed by the quality and richness of the discussions during this international conference, the PAC-CI Program Directorate believes it would be appropriate to quickly organize a debriefing session that would allow us, while the experience is still fresh, to identify avenues and recommendations to be developed in the near future in our research and intervention activities to better address the health needs of populations.