In the Beginning of the world, there was darkness, and GOD spoke and said, "LET THERE BE LIGHT!" And the silence was broken.
The view behind the HIV curtain in Africa is one of Hope, but it is at a distance for most. HIV/AIDS was at one time equally a threat to everyone on the planet; however, "Treatment" is changing the picture in affluent countries. In poorer countries "Prevention" is the basis for Hope.
It took two days of traveling to get to Durban, South Africa from Chicago. One full day was a lay-over in Frankfurt Germany where I took in a city tour and a tour of the famous "Heidelberg Castle" it was the seat of medicine in medieval times, where Doctors and Pharmacists used ancient techniques employing what we call "Non-Traditional" medicine such as roots and herbs as cures for disease. It was a precursor of what would come at the conference.
I was greeted at the airport by a women and a young man who would take me to stay at the home of the women's parents in one of the townships. The name of the township was "Lamontville", not far from the conference site. God made a connection for me even before arriving at the conference itself, as it turned out the couple that met me were responsible for a community program called the "Lamontville Aids Center". I visited the center twice and adopted them as a new avenue to support with affordable treatment and educational information.
The scene upon arrival was one of great movement. People registering, going to pre-opening meetings and seminars, and the excitement of people greeting old acquaintances still working in the HIV Industry, and people making new acquaintances. More than 12,700 people registered for this 13th International Aids Conference, the first time being brought to the continent being effected the most by the power of the disease's distruction. I was happy to be there and grateful to be representing my community and the communities and organizations I am working with in Ghana, and now S.Africa. I am proud to be an example of "Hope in Action", believing that I was there for the purpose of extending LIFE, mine and others. I can not say in words all of what I feel but Ido know what "Freedom" feels like in a brand new way.
An Overview The conference featured many different forums all going on simultaneously. Beginning with the Scientific Programme. The Plenary Sessions designed to bring the most distinguished researcher's, community leaders and policy specialists together to give lectures on four main topics: Exposing the Silence; Living with HIV; HIV Prevention; and Challenges to Vaccine Development. These sessions began each day's schedule. Also, under the Scientific Programme were Debate Sessions, Roundtable Discussions, Joint Symposia, Oral Abstract Sessions, Poster Presentations and Exhibitions. I attended some of these sessions especially the one's concerning long term survivors and the factors contributing to the successful management of the disease, and how these factors may be duplicated in other's. One of the sessions I attended was relative to the "Innate Immunity" being as important as the " Adaptive Immunity", the Innate Immune System responds immediately to any infectious invader, while the Adaptive Immune System develops antibodies over time. The conclusion was that one could not exist without the other so they are equally important in the defense of the body. [Next Page]
E-mail Address: Afotay@cs.com
