Posted on: Thu 09-07-2020

International Council of Nurses (ICN) President Annette Kennedy has accepted the International AIDS Society’s (IAS) most prestigious award on behalf of the world’s nurses. IAS, the world’s largest association of HIV professionals with 10,000 members in more than 170 countries, strives to reduce the global impact of HIV.

Its Presidential Award recognises the achievements of those who have a demonstrated history of leadership and excellence as pioneers at the forefront of the response to HIV.

In his letter to ICN about the award IAS President Anton Pozniak said:

“Nurses have always played an important role in the HIV response, and in 2020, they have stepped up even more to meet the needs of the COVID-19 pandemic. They demonstrated incredible courage, selflessness and stoicism during the onset and ensuing years of the AIDS epidemic, and now too during COVID-19. Nurses have provided strong voices of reason and advocacy throughout, and have affected instrumental changes to prevention and care. With 2020 being the International Year of the Nurse, it is the perfect moment to recognise all that they have done.”

On receiving the award over the internet, ICN President Annette Kennedy said:

“I am thrilled and honoured to accept this award on behalf of the world’s nurses in recognition of their steadfast support of people living with AIDS. From the outset, nurses have been intimately involved in the care of people with HIV and have always been at their side during the difficult battles they have fought. Amazing strides have been made since the early days, and nursing care has always been a central pillar that supports all other efforts to enable people with AIDS to live dignified, happy, and fulfilled lives. Much of the progress made over the past decades is testament to the fantastic work of the IAS, an organisation ICN is proud to be associated with as the fight to combat infectious diseases continues. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that the lessons learned in the early days of AIDS are just as valid today, and this award will give a boost to the millions of nurses worldwide who are again engaged in a fight to stem the tide of a dangerous and highly contagious virus.”

Meanwhile, nurse from the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) are taking part in an international virtual AIDS conference this week. ANAC members will be contributing to several major sessions in the conference, representing an important advancement in the visibility and recognition of nurses in the global response to HIV/AIDS. As part of the conference the International AIDS Society is hosting a virtual COVID-19 Conference on Friday, July 10. It is free and open to the public, but registration is required. All the sessions within this special conference will focus on research, policy and lessons about COVID-19 from the field. ANAC member prof. LaRon E. Nelson will contribute to the "Impact of COVID-19 in the Health Sector" session at 4 pm Eastern Time.

Source: icn

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