On June 7, 2022, USC IIGH, in partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, hosted this virtual side event to the IX Summit of the Americas. The event aimed to catalyze action to address the underlying inequalities that have fueled the AIDS pandemic, generate disparities in access to COVID-19 vaccines, and leave countries ill-prepared for future pandemics. Policymakers, academia and civil society actors discussed the interlinkages between inequalities and pandemics, identified challenges and opportunities to reduce them, and provided recommendations for action based on available evidence and promising practices. The panel also explored ways to place human rights and eliminating inequalities at the forefront of regional and global health agendas to address current and future pandemics in the Americas.
The event was moderated by USC IIGH Director of Policy Engagement Jonathan Cohen. Panelists included:
- Peter Figueroa — Professor, The University of the West Indies, former head of the Jamaican HIV/STI Program (1986–2008); Chair, PAHO Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Immunization; Co-Chair, WHO SAGE Working Group on Polio; Member, WHO Working Group on COVID-19 vaccines (Jamaica)
- Amaranta Gomez — Regional Secretary, International Secretariat for Indigenous Peoples, HIV, Sexuality, and Human Rights (Mexico)
- Victoria Donda — President, National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (Argentina)
- Maria Clara Gianna — Director, Sao Paulo State HIV program; responsible for state COVID-19 response (Brazil)
- Luisa Cabal — Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, UNAIDS (Colombia)
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