The Conference

The Beginning of The End

08 Dec 2018

09:00 am

Welcome to the 11th Singapore AIDS Conference 2018!

Join us as we celebrate 20 years of the Singapore AIDS Conference, and gather to present and discuss the latest in medicine, social science and community action in the fight against HIV.

This year, we are excited to be hosting the Conference at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Clinical Sciences Building (Novena Campus) on the 8th of December 2018. The Conference will run as one continuous track, and will feature a line-up of renown international and local experts and leaders in the field of HIV – including community leaders, policy-makers, clinicians and researchers, and, most importantly, members of key populations affected by the HIV epidemic. We are also extremely honoured to again have as our Guest of Honour Dr. Amy Khor – Chairman of the National AIDS Policy Committee, Senior Minister of State of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of the Environment & Water Resources.

Dr. Amy Khor – Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Health and Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources

As the primary local conference dedicated to all aspects of HIV, the SAC is committed to addressing the most pressing issues in the HIV care and response spectrum in the country. This year, we are focusing our attention and efforts towards the ambitious theme of SAC18 – “The Beginning of the End”.

This theme reflects our growing belief that with the concerted efforts of and collaborations between people living with HIV, healthcare professionals and academics, advocates, industry and policy partners, an end to HIV in Singapore is something we can look forward to in our generation.

The programme of SAC18 will be packed with exciting presentations that are built upon two main themes that will be woven into a whole throughout the day’s proceedings. The first is “Broadening the Response to HIV” – recognizing that in order to end HIV in Singapore, we will need to radically rethink conventional strategies, and place a greater emphasis on social sciences in HIV. We are privileged to have Professor Judith Auerbach (from the Governing Council of the International AIDS Society) speaking on this subject. In addition, we will be shining the spotlight on such cutting-edge developments as HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), HIV self-testing, and the importance of modelling the local HIV epidemic.

The second theme is “An Update on HIV Science”, where we will present a concise summary of the ever-growing field of HIV biomedical science. Professor Christopher Fairley (from the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre) will be speaking on the effect of PrEP rollout in Australia and internationally; we will also be presenting the latest estimates for the local HIV 90-90-90 targets. For the first time at a local conference, we will also be presenting a consolidated picture of HIV clinical management in the country, focusing specially on the exciting new paradigm of U=U, or Undetectable = Untransmissible.

We are perhaps most excited to have SAC18 serve as a platform for the voices of members of key populations affected by HIV to be heard. You will hear presentations from dedicated and passionate individuals representing youths, women, sex workers, men who have sex with men and transgender individuals, amongst other groups. They will be speaking about the challenges they face in their fights against HIV, and their hopes for an end to HIV in Singapore.

On behalf of the Organising Committee of the Singapore AIDS Conference 2018, we extend a very warm invitation to you, and hope to see you on the 8th of December!

Prof Roy Chan

Dr Wong Chen Seong

Mr Alvin Tan

Co-Chairs, Singapore AIDS Conference 2018