We are pleased to announce that, on the 18-19th November 2019, the first EECA INTERACT Workshop 2019 will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The EECA INTERACT 2019 Workshop builds scientific research capacity while simultaneously strengthening clinical, prevention, and research networks across the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region. EECA INTERACT 2019 is an abstract-driven workshop focusing on factors unique to the region’s HIV, TB, and hepatitis epidemics. Bringing young and bright researchers together with top scientists, clinicians, and policymakers, EECA INTERACT 2019 aims to ignite a conversation that will build a stronger scientific base to serve the region and connect to the world.
EECA is the only region in the world where the HIV epidemic continues to rise rapidly. UNAIDS estimates point to a 57% increase in annual new HIV infections between 2010 and 2015.1 The World Health Organization has warned of a sharp rise in rate of HIV and tuberculosis coinfection, which poses a real threat to progress.2 Significant barriers to prevention and treatment services remain for people living with and affected by HIV, TB, and hepatitis across the region. For example, although the HIV epidemic in EECA is concentrated predominantly among key populations, particularly among people who inject drugs, coverage of harm-reduction and other prevention programs is insufficient to reduce new infections. The region urgently needs more effective strategies of prevention, treatment, and care and support that are tailored to the particular circumstances of individual countries.
The Amsterdam Institute of Global Health and Development (AIGHD) has over a decade of experience delivering in-country workshops and conferences that bring young researchers and established international experts together to share original research and state-of-the-art reviews on a wide range of topics. AIGHD has co-hosted the INTEREST Conference (the International Workshop on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis, and Prevention Research in Resource-limited Settings) since its inception in 2007. The conference has grown from a small workshop to a full conference of more than 500 attendees each year.
Building on these proven results, AIGHD will collaborate closely with AFEW International and the AFEW network (AFEW) for EECA INTERACT 2019. AFEW’s deep roots and experience in the region offer a way to build sustainability into the new workshop, placing priority on local contributions. The EECA INTERACT 2019 will bring scientists, clinicians, members of civil society, and government officials together to tackle topics facing individual countries while building capacity and strengthening research and clinical networks. The two-day conference will focus on topics that are specifically relevant to EECA and dive deeply into particularities of the host country Kazakhstan, showcasing its successes, remaining challenges and responses.
The workshop objectives are:
- To provide cutting-edge knowledge in the fields of epidemiology (modelling), treatment, pathogenesis, and prevention of HIV, TB, and viral hepatitis as well as chronic conditions;
- To exchange ideas on providing and supporting HIV testing services and clinical care provision to adults, adolescents, and children living with HIV to achieve 90-90-90 goals;
- To foster new research interactions among leading investigators and those who represent the potential future scientific leadership for health care and research in the region;
- To build research and clinical capacity across EECA.
We invite researchers from EECA to submit their abstracts in the workshop. Selected abstracts will get free registration. Please find here more information.
Interested parties who do not have abstracts, but also wish to attend the event, can fill in an application form that will be considered by the committee. Please find here more information.
The deadline for all applications is September 20, 2019.
EECA INTERACT 2019 is organized by AFEW International, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health & Development (AIGHD), AFEW Kazakhstan and the Kazakh Scientific Center of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases.
EECA INTERACT 2019 is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, Gilead, Aidsfonds.
Venue of the event: Hotel Mercure Almaty City Center.
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If you have any further questions, please contact Helena_Arntz@AFEW.nl.
