BSS, Dhaka :The 12th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP12) will take place in Dhaka from November 20 to 23 this year.The congress with the theme “Be the Change for an AIDS Free Generation, Our right to health” will be hosted by the Government of Bangladesh in collaboration with Partners in Population and Development (PPD) as co-host.The function will bring together over 3,500 delegates from the region and beyond. More than 200 high level government officials; several UN mission heads and distinguished national and international HIV and AIDS researchers, advocates, policy and community leaders and representatives from non-governmental organizations, key affected populations, civil society and people living with HIV will take part in the congress. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the function that will attract around 400 speakers who will contribute to various sessions during the three days of ICAAP12. As part of the conference preparation, a “marathon meeting” was held on Monday in BRAC CDM at Khagan, Ashulia, Savar. The Inaugural session of the marathon meeting was chaired by Dr Joe Thomas, Sectary General of ICAAP12 and Educative Director of Partners of Population and Development (PPD). Syed Monjurul Islam, secretary of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and also the chairman of Local Organizing Committee (LOC), was present as the chief guest. The session was addressed by the co-chairman of ICAAP12, Prof Nurun Nabi, Dr Tasnim Azim, Habiba Akter and Prof Dr Kamrul Hasan Khan, among others. Regional Director of Communicable Diseases of WHO, Dr Swarup Sarker, and UNAIDS country coordinator Leo Kenny also spoke at the opening session. To finalize the scientific and community programme, a team of over 25 international experts along with a large number of national experts and community representatives, members of ICAAP 2015 executive committee, and observers form UN and different international bodies are attending this two-day planning meeting.
