IAS announces Geneva as host city for IAS 2027

 

IAS announces Geneva as host city for IAS 2027

By Hope Mafaranga

GENEVA, Switzerland

The International AIDS Society (IAS) has announced that Geneva will host the 14th IAS Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2027), scheduled for July 11–15, 2027.

The conference will take place in person in Geneva and virtually, drawing an estimated 5,000 participants from more than 130 countries.

IAS President-Elect and IAS 2027 International Co-Chair Prof. Kenneth Ngure said the meeting comes at a critical moment in the global HIV response, marked by major scientific advances but persistent barriers to access.

“We now have a game-changing toolkit that includes long-acting treatment and prevention options that could end the HIV pandemic. But for many of the people who need them the most, these innovations remain behind a door locked by abiding access issues and shrinking funding ,” Ngure said.

Ngure, an associate professor of global health and former dean of the School of Public Health at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya, said the Geneva conference would focus on translating science into impact.

“IAS 2027 will bring together scientists, programme leaders, policy makers and communities in Geneva, long known as a hub for global health and human rights,” he said. “Together, we will take stock of the latest discoveries, chart progress in building and rebuilding research and programmes, and find the key to opening the door so that these tools reach everyone, everywhere.”

IAS 2027 Local Co-Chair Dr. Alexandra Calmy welcomed the decision to host the conference in Geneva, describing it as timely and strategic. Calmy heads the HIV Unit in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Geneva University Hospitals (HUG).

“Hosting IAS 2027 in Geneva at this critical time makes perfect sense. It will give us a solid platform for global collaboration in the HIV response and renewing and building partnerships to take us forward,” Calmy said.

Geneva has a long-standing reputation as a global centre for public health and human rights, hosting numerous international organisations and non-governmental bodies central to the HIV response.

The city is also home to Geneva University Hospitals and its specialised HIV Unit, which provides comprehensive and non-discriminatory care.

It is additionally known for the “Geneva patient”, one of 10 people worldwide considered to have been cured of HIV.

Switzerland is among several high-income countries approaching the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. HIV prevalence stands at about 0.2%, while new HIV infections have declined by 20% since 2010 to fewer than 500 in 2023. AIDS-related deaths have also dropped by 19%, to fewer than 100 in the same year.

The country’s HIV response is grounded in human rights and evidence-based approaches. Switzerland is a global leader in harm reduction for people who use drugs, has legalised sex work, simplified the legal process for gender change, supports reintegration of former prisoners through training programmes, recognises same-sex marriage and ensures people living with HIV have access to healthcare and professional support.

IAS 2027 is expected to serve as a major platform for advancing scientific knowledge, strengthening partnerships and renewing global commitment to ending the HIV epidemic.