Previously known as the South African AIDS (SAAIDS) conference, in 2009 the conference organisers decided to extend the reach of the conference to include the Southern African region. According to the organisers, the theme this year, "Scaling up for Success," recognises that there is an urgency to take stock of best practices in treatment and prevention and to scale these up sufficiently to begin to decrease the numbers and the impact that the epidemic is having on Southern Africa.

 The conference includes a number of different tracks, which include:

• Basic Sciences
• Clinical Sciences
• Epidemiology, Prevention and Public Health
• Social and Economical Sciences, Human Rights, and Ethics
• Best Practices and Programmes
• Community Exchange Encounters

The conference will include discussions on prevention through mass mobilisation and mass communication, particularly related to stigma and discrimination. It will also explore and provide insights into some socio-economic factors that impact on responses to the HIV and AIDS pandemic, as well as highlight some ethical factors that need to be considered in the development and implementation of related strategies and policies, including media ethics.

 People involved in initiatives and projects will have the opportunity to share their experiences with others in the field. This will include evidence based policy and practice, and models of prevention, treatment, care, and support activities in communities, the workplace, and the media. The conference will also highlight experiences and practices around community advocacy, broadly defined to include people living with HIV, impacted by HIV and AIDS, people vulnerable to HIV infection, and those who interact with communities on issues relating to HIV and AIDS.

Click here for more information about the conference.

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