Adeeba Kamarulzaman told attendees at the AIDS 2022 conference opening ceremony Friday morning in Montreal that “many” delegates, including her organization’s staff and leadership, were unable to obtain visas to attend. A group of protesters took to the stage during the opening ceremony, denouncing visa denials and disparities in the global response to HIV. International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan was scheduled to speak at the opening of the conference but canceled his appearance. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The conference, which attracts researchers, doctors, activists and people living with HIV, focuses on both scientific progress in the fight against AIDS and the need for increased funding to fight HIV. More than 9,000 delegates are expected to attend in person and another 2,000 are registered to participate remotely. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 29, 2022.
