2020 HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conference
2020 HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conference
Announcing 2020 Joint Australasian HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences: VIRTUAL
SAVE THE DATE
The Virtual HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conference will take place Monday 16 – Friday 20 November 2020. More information to come soon.
ASHM has been following the developments on COVID-19 closely, with a focus on ensuring the wellbeing of staff, stakeholders and the public. We also appreciate the additional strain being felt by the healthcare sector at all levels and, given the ongoing developments, ASHM has made the decision to run the Australasian HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences virtually towards the end of 2020.
ASHM is consulting with the National Program Committee to revise the format, delivery and content of the program. The program will be tailored from its traditional format to suit the demands of the current work environment.
ASHM’s priority is to provide a forum for the sector that facilitates discussion and engagement between participants and speakers via a high-quality virtual conference platform. The virtual conference will be designed to be as interactive as possible, offering plenty of opportunities for live questions, discussion, polling and networking.
We and the National Program Committee believe it is important to deliver a virtual conference to the sector to provide an opportunity for collaboration, information sharing and solidarity in a time of crisis.
Following extensive review and consultation we have decided that the next face to face conference will be held in Melbourne at the same venue – the MCEC, in 2021. An exact date will be announced shortly.
Our consultation was with experts in the field, local health authorities, people living with HIV and the National Program Committee. Our priority is the safety and well-being of delegates and our community.
Furthermore, many of those who were planning to attend, and were involved in the development of the joint conference program, are now working on the front lines in the response to COVID-19. We have a responsibility not to redirect their efforts at a critical time in the response to the pandemic.
Registered delegates will have the option to roll over their current registration to attend the virtual conference (a refund for the difference in cost will be provided) or to roll over the funds to the 2021 conferences. Registered delegates will be contacted directly in due course to discuss options.
Those who have submitted abstracts will also be contacted directly with advice on how to proceed.
In the meantime, our thoughts remain with patients, healthcare professionals and their families affected across the world as the health response to COVID-19 continues.
Thank you for your understanding and support during these difficult times, we hope that you will participate in the virtual conference later this year. We’re also grateful to our committee and those who have contributed to the conferences to date and welcome your input on those to come.
More information about the Virtual 2020 Australasian HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences will be announced in due course.