Download 2003 Vaccine Think Tank Report *Please note this report is a PDF. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.

HIV Vaccines for Developing Countries: Prospects for an HIV Vaccine for West Africa, was co-sponsored by the AIDS Prevention Initiative Nigeria (APIN) and was held February 18-21, 2003 in Abuja, Nigeria. HAI's "vaccine think tanks" is an ongoing series of conferences that addresses the challenge of creating an HIV vaccine for worldwide use.

This think tank afforded us an opportunity to examine key HIV/AIDS issues affecting West Africa and to consider specific regional questions concerning the development of a sub-type specific vaccine. The think tank series, initiated in 1996, has been hosted by partner countries from our HIV/AIDS collaborative programs. Past think tanks have been held in Botswana, Senegal, and Tanzania.

Due to this meeting series' strong focus on and commitment to issues pertaining to the HIV epidemic in the developing world, this meeting was held in the Nigerian capital of Abuja. The Nigerian President, his Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo has made HIV/AIDS a top priority on his agenda.

In 2000, Dr. Phyllis Kanki, Professor at the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the Harvard School of Public Health and co-chair of this year's symposium began working on APIN. Through her close collaboration with the government and the National AIDS Council Association, APIN has made huge strides in training and capacity building for all prevention efforts, including public education. Professor Lateef Salako, a renowned scientist from Nigeria and active participant in the APIN program, co-chaired the event. Prof. Salako is also the CEO of the National Vaccine Production Laboratory in Lagos, Nigeria.

Attendees included researchers in infectious disease pathogenesis, epidemiology, and vaccine development, as well as HIV experts, virologists, immunologists, behavioral scientists, biostatisticians, and representatives of international organizations who are key players in the definition, funding, and implementation of such interventions.

Attendees at the 2003 Vaccine Think Tank.