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“I am the one who should thank
you and Mike and all the other contributors for putting your heart
and soul in the meeting. This was the one and only HIV/AIDS meeting
in Turkey with such great participation and motivation with a full
room in each presentation. In addition, the meeting seems
to have changed a lot in the treatment approach of some doctors
who once could not give up crixivan and now are recommending Truvada
and Stocrin. I can tell you that this is a real success story.”
Deniz Gökengin, Izmir, Turkey
HIV in South East Europe II:
Working together for progress
“South East Europe needs more positive attention”
6 - 8 May 2009, Istanbul,
Turkey
Doctor chairs: Drs Deniz Gökengin, Izmir; Prof
Josip Begovac, Zagreb
Patient advocate chairs: Arzu Kayki and Tekin Tutar (Pozitif Yaşam Derneği,
Istanbul) and Svilen Konov (HIV i-Base, UK & Bulgaria)
training | programme | forums | trainers | photos | presentations | report | testimonials
At this three day meeting delegations
from throughout South East Europe – comprising patient advocates,
nurses, doctors, government HIV commissioners and other
key stakeholders – joined international HIV
specialists and pharmaceutical and diagnostic industry
representatives to explore cultural, economic and structural
barriers to successful responses to HIV and related
conditions in the region.
Dr Deniz Gökengin (Izmir, Turkey), Prof Josip
Begovac (Zagreb, Croatia) and patient advocates, Arzu
Kayki and Tekin Tutar (Pozitif Yaşam Derneği
/ Positive Living Association, Istanbul) and Svilen Konov (HIV i-Base, London), acted as meeting
co-chairs. The HIV Training and Resource Initiative
(HIVTRI) sponsored the event with support and
participation from industry, private foundations, the
European Union (via NEAT, The European AIDS Treatment
Network) and individual donors.
Delegations were
from Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Greece, Hungary, UNMIK Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro,
Romania, Serbia, R. Srpska, Slovenia and Turkey.
Not a typical medical
training, the event was more an occasion for key stakeholders
in the region to interact with HIV veterans from
across the world and an opportunity for
industry representatives to learn first hand about
conditions in South East Europe from those who know
them best.
The event consisted of small group forums ( see 'programme' and 'forum' links above) working
together to look at problems, gain information and
share possible solutions to the significant obstacles
to access to quality HIV treatment, diagnostics and
care within the region.
English was the official language of
the meeting. Members of the administrative support team were
fluent in a number of the languages of the region.
The meeting was held at the Point Hotel, a quiet contemporary hotel near Istanbul’s
Taksim Square.
HIVTRI supported hotel and catering for delegations
from the region.
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