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Lasanthi Siriwardena

Lasanthi Siriwardena

Organization: National STD/AIDS Control Programme, Sri Lanka


Region: Asia and the Pacific Islands

Nationality: Sri Lanka

Country: Sri Lanka

Interests & expertise: HIV cure

Profession or occupation: Healthcare worker/social service provider


What inspires you to work in the HIV field?

Over the past four decades, HIV basic and clinical research has been astounding, bringing hope and normalcy to the lives of people living with and affected by HIV. The response to HIV was taken as a model in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the advances, there is still more to be done towards an HIV cure. The transformative achievements so far and the challenges of cure ahead inspires me to work in this field.

What are your goals as an IAS change maker?

My goal as an IAS change maker is to be the voice for those living with and affected by HIV so that the science will continue to develop despite the multitude of challenges the world will continue to face in the form of climate change, economic crisis, political unrest or war.

The IAS promotes the use of non-stigmatizing, people-first language. The translations are all automated in the interest of making our content as widely accessible as possible. Regretfully, they may not always adhere to the people-first language of the original version.