MSF press conference ahead of AIDS conference in Nairobi

*****MSF MEDIA ADVISORY*****

When     :     Monday, 16th May 2011

Where   :      THE HILTON HOTEL

Time     :       10.00AM

 

Dear All,

RE: MSF and Kenya Civil Society call on government to improve AIDS treatment ahead of UN meeting in New York and the first national HIV conference in Kenya

Medecins Sans Frontieres and the members of Kenya Civil Society would like to invite you to a press conference on Monday 16th May 2011 at the Hilton Hotel at 10.00 am to urge the Government of Kenya to increase efforts to put more people on ART treatment in the country.

“We are at a crucial turning point,” says Dr Jennifer Cohn of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), “Exciting new science has shown us that starting treatment earlier is important in preventing complications of HIV and death. By treating patients before they are extremely ill, we see better results.  We’re also seeing that putting people on treatment dramatically reduces the risk of one person passing on the virus to another.”

The Civil Society Members therefore demand that Kenya apply the latest scientific knowledge on HIV, and work to ensure the global community renews its commitment to turn back the tide of new HIV infections and deaths. This comes at a time when the country plans to hold the first Kenya National HIV and AIDS conference in Nairobi this week 18th to 20th of May 2011.

 

Subject: The Press conference aims at discussing key issues at the upcoming HIV Conference in Kenya, civil society’s policy platform for the HIV conference and a new MSF HIV report describing the HIV situation in 16 countries including Kenya.