During a two-day visit to Atlanta, United States of America, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé visited the Emergency Operations Center of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and interacted with CDC staff during a town hall meeting.

He also spoke on leadership in the global AIDS response with students and faculty at a special session at the Rollins School of Public Health moderated by Carlos del Rio, Hubert Professor and Chair of the Department of Global Health at the Rollins School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine.

In honour of the inauguration of the 20th President of Emory University, Claire Sterk, the first woman President of the University and a renowned public health and HIV researcher, the university held an academic symposium entitled Health Challenges and Bold Opportunities. Speaking alongside Deborah Bruner, Associate Director for Mentorship, Education and Training at the Winship Cancer Institute, Professor in the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and Professor of Radiation Oncology in Emory University School of Medicine, and Elaine Walker, Director of the Development and Mental Health Research Program of Emory University, Mr Sidibé provided an overview of what is needed to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the close of the symposium, Ms Sterk awarded Mr Sidibé the Emory President’s Medal in recognition of his work as a “passionate champion for health and humanity”, which he accepted on behalf of all people working to end the AIDS epidemic. Past laureates of the President’s medal include President Jimmy Carter, the Dalai Lama, Congressman John Lewis, global health hero William Foege and civil rights activist Rosa Parks.

While in Atlanta, Mr Sidibé also visited the Ponce de Leon Center, one of the largest HIV clinics in the United States of America, serving more than 6000 people annually. Mr Sidibé spoke with staff about the unique challenges of delivering quality HIV care and treatment to people with late stage diagnosis of HIV. Thirty-five years into the epidemic, patients still face high levels of stigma, which can delay and keep people from accessing life-saving treatment.  

Mr Sidibé concluded his visit to Atlanta with a meeting at the Carter Center to explore how UNAIDS and the Carter Center can best leverage combined expertise and knowledge for the greatest impact in areas where the work of the two organizations converges.