The Durban Declaration |
| Dateline: 07/10/00
Today scientists from around the world have gathered for the XIII International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa. For the last 10 years, the conference has had to dispel a growing sentiment that HIV is not the cause of AIDS. This growing group of scientists and activists insist that HIV in fact is a harmless passenger virus and that people are dying because of venereal diseases, drug use, malnutrition and the HIV drugs themselves. This belief seems to be gaining popularity. In fact, South African President Thabo Mbeki is a supporter of such a theory. He has recently formed an AIDS advisory panel looking to ends his countries AIDS crisis. However, half the seats on the panel are scientists who question that HIV is the cause of AIDS. In response, 5000 scientists attending Durban have written and signed the "Durban Declaration", a document stating that HIV is indeed the cause of AIDS and the worldwide epidemic. For the next week, experts in the fields of HIV treatment and research converge on Durban in hopes of finding a way to halt the spread of this devastating disease. But before that can happen, the world must all come together and recognize the cause, realize the effect and develop a plan to stop the suffering. Read the "Durban Declaration" in its entirety.
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