The renowned academic, founding director of UN Aids and director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Professor Peter Piot, will deliver the IDS Annual Lecture 2018. The lecture, to be held on Tuesday 17 July 2018, is entitled ‘Can we end the aids epidemic? The need for a development approach’.
Since the peak in 2005, AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 48 per cent (UNAids), yet with nearly two million people newly infected with HIV in 2016 and one million AIDS-related deaths in the same year, the end of AIDS remains elusive.
Drawing on his more than 25 years of experience working on HIV/AIDS, Professor Peter Piot will discuss the interrelated relationship between HIV/AIDS and development, arguing that renewed efforts are needed to address the social, political, and economic drivers of HIV and vulnerability.
Warning that a growing complacency could result in a resurgence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and in a failure to meet the global goal to end the epidemic by the year 2030, Professor Piot will also highlight the growing challenge to tackle HIV/AIDS amid the current context of the world’s largest-ever generation of young people. Among young people globally (aged 10 – 19) HIV is the second leading cause of death and the number one of cause of death of young people (aged 10 – 19) in Africa (HIV/AIDS Alliance).
Professor Melissa Leach, Director at IDS, who will Chair the lecture, says:
“We are honoured to welcome Professor Peter Piot to IDS as guest speaker for our annual lecture. The IDS Annual Lecture seeks to hear from the most exciting thinkers in development, at the forefront of helping to tackle the global challenges of our time.
“I can’t think of anyone better than Professor Peter Piot to hear from on a subject that remains not only a pressing global health challenge but also a critical barrier to sustainable development.”
The IDS Annual Lecture takes place, 5pm to 6.30pm at the Jubilee Lecture Theatre at the University of Sussex in Brighton, followed by a drinks reception The lecture will also be live streamed via the IDS website.
Register to attend or watch online.
The IDS Annual Lecture aims to convene the most exciting and innovative thinkers helping to tackle the global challenges of our time; reducing inequalities, accelerating sustainability and building inclusive and secure societies.
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