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Speeding progress toward ending HIV epidemic is aim of global conference

WashU Bursky Public Health •
A woman in Togo walks past a painted sign about the dangers of HIV. Public health researchers and practitioners from around the world will meet in South Africa in September to discuss how to accelerate progress toward ending HIV as a public health threat, at a conference co-chaired by WashU faculty. (Photo credit: Getty Images)
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New tools for fighting HIV, including medicines and diagnostic tests, have led to higher survival rates and a reduction of new infections. But HIV remains a persistent epidemic, infecting an estimated 41 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Despite the availability of these potentially life-saving tools, studies show that many communities — particularly in poor and rural areas — have severely limited access to them.