January 7, 2025
New Year's message from the EACS President
Happy 2025!
Firstly, I would like to extend my best wishes for the new year, and a happy and fruitful 2025 to all our members, partners, friends, colleagues, and all people living with HIV.
Despite notable progress both in HIV prevention and care, inequalities continue to persist. Many WHO European region countries report an increase in HIV diagnoses, with over one-third of people living with HIV in Europe and Central Asia having transmissible levels of the virus. War and the respective involuntary displacement of people, associated with economic hardship and migration imposed by inequalities, continuously requires culture-sensitive prevention and care responses. Additionally, late diagnosis remains prominent especially among heterosexual populations and older age groups.
EACS remains committed to responding to these challenges with a mission focusing on clinical and scientific innovation and excellence in prevention, diagnosis, care, research and education for HIV and related conditions. Key actions focus on transferring knowledge and harmonising standards of care to promote quality and equity across countries and regions. These efforts aim to improve the quality of life of all people living with or at risk of acquiring HIV, and to shape public health policies. The Society’s strategic values and principles are integrity, transparency, respect, inclusivity as well as person-centred approaches, and these principles should be our beacons in the midst of an uncertain period for Europe.