Steep registration fee limits access to AIDS conference

A NUMBER of Namibian non-governmental organisations will not be represented at the largest-ever AIDS conference, being held in Thailand this month, because of the “prohibitive” registration fee.

The conference is being held under the theme ‘Access For All’. Sources from Namibian NGOs working with HIV-positive people this week described the US$1 000 registration fee as “prohibitively expensive”.They said the Bangkok gathering would exclude thousands of key voices on the pandemic.”The people who are supposed to benefit from this conference are not middle class doctors, but PWAs and their representatives in community-based organisations with little or no funding for their actual work, never mind funding for conferences,” said one Namibian NGO member.He told The Namibian that his organisation would not send anyone because of the high costs.The 15th International AIDS Conference expects up to 20 000 delegates for the July 11 to 16 event, which this year has the theme of “Access for All”.Organisers have slapped a US$1 000 price tag on registration after May 1, while Thai taxation pushes it to US$1 250.Early registration had been US$800 and the standard US$900.The Ministry of Health will send an eight-member delegation, headed by Minister Dr Libertina Amathila.Minister of Women Affairs and Child Welfare, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, is also expected to attend, are are some individuals who received sponsorships from the congress organisers.The Namibian has established that a preparatory meeting is scheduled for today where the delegates will discuss the congress and how they will approach issues as a team.The US$15 million conference aims to bring together world leaders, scientists, activists and people living with HIV-AIDS.Sources from Namibian NGOs working with HIV-positive people this week described the US$1 000 registration fee as “prohibitively expensive”.They said the Bangkok gathering would exclude thousands of key voices on the pandemic.”The people who are supposed to benefit from this conference are not middle class doctors, but PWAs and their representatives in community-based organisations with little or no funding for their actual work, never mind funding for conferences,” said one Namibian NGO member.He told The Namibian that his organisation would not send anyone because of the high costs.The 15th International AIDS Conference expects up to 20 000 delegates for the July 11 to 16 event, which this year has the theme of “Access for All”.Organisers have slapped a US$1 000 price tag on registration after May 1, while Thai taxation pushes it to US$1 250.Early registration had been US$800 and the standard US$900.The Ministry of Health will send an eight-member delegation, headed by Minister Dr Libertina Amathila.Minister of Women Affairs and Child Welfare, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, is also expected to attend, are are some individuals who received sponsorships from the congress organisers.The Namibian has established that a preparatory meeting is scheduled for today where the delegates will discuss the congress and how they will approach issues as a team.The US$15 million conference aims to bring together world leaders, scientists, activists and people living with HIV-AIDS.