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The fight against HIV is not over and the disease is growing when people become unaware of the threat it represents, warned David Furnish.
The filmmaker is president of the Elton John Aids Foundation (Ejaf), an organization created by her husband, Sir Elton, in 1992 to raise awareness of HIV / AIDS.
Since its inception, it has collected more than 400 million US dollars, about 306 million pounds, to fight the disease, said the charity.
Furnish, who married Sir Elton in 2014, said that despite tremendous progress over the last three decades, there was still work to be done.
Speaking at a preliminary event in anticipation of the 27th Ejaf Academy Awards viewing night, Furnish told the Press Association: "The important thing is to continue the dialogue on HIV / AIDS.
"AIDS is not over, we are still seeing an alarming increase in new infections among very specific groups in our society.
"The biggest barrier we face in fighting this disease is stigma. People still think it's a disease you should be ashamed of, that you would die from an HIV / AIDS diagnosis, that you have to take a ton of pills, it's very complicated and very heavy.
"It's no longer one of those things, it's a disease with which you now live a busy life."
There were about 36.9 million people in the world living with HIV / AIDS in 2017, according to HIV.Gov.
The vast majority of people living with HIV are in low- and middle-income countries, the group said.
Furnish said that advances in treatment, including preventative measures against transmission and drugs that leave the virus virtually undetectable in the blood, have been "significant advances".
However, he warned that not everyone was receiving treatment and that not sensitizing vulnerable groups could lead to an increase in the number of HIV diagnoses.
He said, "If we do not remove shame, they do not have access to affordable health care, so they can not get tested, if they do not." understand that they are at risk, if they do not have access to treatment, then the disease remains alive in the shadows.
"And that's where HIV develops, it's in the cracks and cracks of life.
"So having an event like this that not only generates a lot of money, but also continues to profile the disease and the cachet that only the Oscars can give from an outreach point of view, is a tremendous opportunity .
Sir Elton has been organizing Oscars since 1992 and regularly draws some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.
Since its inception, Ejaf's Oscar-winning party has raised more than $ 68 million, or about £ 52 million, for the foundation, by providing funding for the fight against HIV.
Actor Eric McCormack, known for his star in the American sitcom Will & Grace, will be one of the guests of the Ejaf party.
McCormack met Furnish at school in their home country and both musicians had the habit of playing musicals.
"Elton's enthusiasm and David's dedication have never wavered, they've grown. So people like me and my wife are more than happy to take the boat and help them. "
The 27th annual Ejaf Academy Awards viewing night will coincide with the 91st Oscars on Sunday.
Press Association
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