Day one of the International Conference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, (ICAAP) 12, organised for the first time in Bangladesh, was marked by mismanagement.
The largest international AIDS forum was inaugurated in the afternoon by President Md Abdul Hamid.
The registered foreign delegates attending the conference however complained about mismanagement on the very first day.
Among the delegates, Khartini Slamah, the TG Programme Officer of Global Fund ISEAN Hivos Programme, PT Foundation, said to Dhaka Tribune: “Everyone is lost when they are searching a way to what is going on around here.”
“I think the one who is the in-charge of organising this programme is not clear about organising an international conference here in Bangladesh,” Khartini also added.
Many foreign delegates complained to Dhaka Tribune that they had not received their registration card and bag, which includes the session description and directions.
Some did not even get lunch after paying the registration and other fees, observed this reporter.
Khartini also expected to see the participation of young people, such as students, as the conference was about AIDS awareness.
“The committee should have a look at these problems, like briefing the volunteers who are here to help direct the delegation,” she added.
The people who paid to be delegation members became frustrated over these issues, which must be addressed, said many delegates.
Another delegate from the UK, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I have attended so many conferences around the world. But this is the first time I became so confused after seeing the mismanagement.”
Khartini marked the management of the conference as 3.5 out of 10.
Another delegate, IOM official Samir Kumar Howlader, while attending a session, complained about the mismanagement as two to three sessions were running in a single room at International Convention City Bashundhara. Participants of each session were facing problems participating due to the chaotic environment.
While addressing the complaints and problems faced by the delegates, ICAAP12 Co-Chair Prof Dr AKM Nurun Nabi acknowledged the mismanagement.
He said: “This type of large event is taking place for the first time in Bangladesh. So, on the first day of the event, there is bound to be a disaster, which we also faced when we attended conferences in other countries.”
But he acknowledged the disaster by pointing out the lack of Bangladeshi event management companies with experience organising this type of international conference.
He also said he hopes to sort out the problems from the next day.
When this reporter tried to contact the joint organiser, Partners in Population and Development (PPD), no one responded to the reporter’s query.
In the afternoon, President Hamid in his speech marked the discrimination faced by AIDS patients as “saddening.”
He said: “AIDS is not a curse. But AIDS patients suffer negligence, which they do not deserve.”
He urged people to change their perception about AIDS and called everyone to be broad-minded.
The president also said: “We have to give more attention to find the HIV patients who are living in disguise, because their cases seem to become a serious threat to spreading HIV among the public.
“It is time for an end to discrimination and stigmatisation of people living with HIV/AIDS. The plight of the AIDS widows, AIDS orphans or for that matter the children and spouses of those living with AIDS is very challenging.
This year, about 1,000 representatives from 56 countries are participating in the International Congress, jointly organised by the Health and Family Welfare ministry and Partners in Population and Development (PPD).
Health Minister Mohammed Nasim chaired the programme, which was addressed by, among others, State Minister for Health Zahid Maleque, Health Secretary Sayed Monjurul Islam, ICAAP Secretary-General Joe Thomas and Unicef representative Philippe Cori.