Speeding progress toward ending HIV epidemic is aim of global conference

New tools for fighting HIV, including medicines and diagnostic tests, have led to higher survival rates and a reduction of new infections. But HIV remains a persistent epidemic, infecting an estimated 41 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Despite the availability of these potentially life-saving tools, studies show that many communities — particularly in poor and rural areas — have severely limited access to them.  

That could change in the future. 

In a quest to remove barriers to treatment and prevention and speed an end the epidemic, researchers from across the globe will convene an international meeting in South Africa to discuss the promising and evolving field of HIV implementation science. Implementation can be broadly defined as the process of delivering scientific advances, such as HIV drugs, to the community of patients who need them.

The HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Health Science of Implementation Conference, or VISTA, will take place from September 21-23, 2026, in Cape Town, South Africa. VISTA is organized by researchers from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Cape Town. 

While there are proven tools to help end the HIV epidemic, including PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), ART (antiretroviral therapy), and long-acting injectables, “proven doesn’t mean delivered,” said co-chair Whitney Irie, PhD, an associate professor at the Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky School of Public Health at Washington University.

“The science of how you actually get these into people’s hands, equitably, in real-world health systems, is what’s missing, and that gap is where the epidemic persists,” said Irie, whose own research focuses on sexual and reproductive health care, HIV prevention, and equitable public health practice. “That’s the science VISTA advances.”

The conference aims to create a global venue to discuss the state of HIV implementation science and share ideas with an eye toward bringing proven interventions into practice.

“This global context is important because, until now, HIV implementation science has been largely developed in high-income settings, like the U.S., which does not always reflect the realities of people around the world,” said co-chair Elvin Geng, MD, the Virginia Minnich Distinguished Professor of Medicine at WashU Medicine. Geng is a co-director of WashU Bursky Public Health’s Dissemination and Innovation Science Innovation Research Network (DISIRN) and a member of the WashU Bursky Public Health secondary faculty. “We wanted to get the global implementation researchers and their stakeholders in the same room to have a wide-ranging, interactive discussion and come up with fresh ideas and solutions.” 

The three-day conference will include speakers representing diverse disciplines, including clinical care, medical anthropology, health economics, community organizations, and funders, all targeting the same healthcare delivery problem from different angles. The meeting will provide a unique opportunity for public health researchers and professionals from a variety of other fields to collaboratively explore challenges, share evidence, network, and advance solutions. 

“I look forward to welcoming delegates from around the world to Cape Town for VISTA 2026,” said co-chair Mosa Moshabela, PhD, a professor of public health and the vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town. “South Africa has long been at the forefront of the global HIV response, making it especially fitting that we host the inaugural VISTA meeting here in the Mother City. By bringing together diverse voices and experiences, we will create opportunities to learn from one another, forge new partnerships, and strengthen our collective efforts to improve health outcomes for communities around the world.”

Click here for information on registering for the VISTA conference.

Mark Sampson is a freelance science writer. Before becoming a freelancer, he worked a science writer at the American Chemical Society and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).