Aids was first identified 40 years ago: these are the game changers that have revolutionised treatment – and the obstacles that remain.
- Professor of medicine and deputy director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre at the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town
HIV expert Linda-Gail Bekker talks to The Conversation Weekly about promising results from a trial of a new drug for HIV prevention.
HIV prevention and treatment have made great strides, but barriers created by stigma, laws and logistics remain.
Un médicament révolutionnaire marque un progrès majeur dans la lutte contre le VIH. Toutefois, pour que les taux d'infection baissent, des changements de comportement sont indispensables
A breakthrough drug is a significant step forward in the fight against HIV. But without changes in behaviour, infection rates won’t come down.
His teaching spoke practically but compassionately to the needs of the African child.
It is urgent and overdue to implement PrEP in pregnancy and during breastfeeding. Failure to do so allows ongoing avoidable HIV infection among women in South Africa and their infants.
Not achieving the targets for children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa means that new infections will continue to increase and HIV related mortality will be a reality for decades to come.
The HIV/AIDS response played out over a much longer trajectory than COVID-19. But it is, in some respects, a shining example of what can be achieved when countries and people work together.
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The vaccines being tested in South Africa have been included on the World Health Organization’s list of 26 most viable candidate vaccines to enter human clinical trials.
Staging this conference in all time zones with fair distribution of prime-time events was no small feat. But the exchange of ideas, experiences and solutions remained a strong priority.
The discovery of a new strain of HIV gives scientists a better understanding of the virus.
Until then we need to get effective, accessible treatment for all who need it, while deploying the many prevention tools at our disposal.
Knowing your HIV status is key to accessing life-saving treatment or evaluating the best prevention options.
The HIV epidemic is far from over and it’s not time to disengage, says International Aids Society President Linda-Gail Bekker.
Stigma stops people from getting tested for HIV, and staying on their treatment. Unless it’s addressed, the AIDS epidemic will persist.
Trials have shown that rates of HIV infection are reduced if people not infected with HIV take anti-retrovirals - known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). But adherence to a daily dose is a problem.
For the next five years South Africa will be leading one of the latest large-scale trials for a vaccine for HIV.
The focus of the 2016 International AIDS Conference has on access to necessary antiretrovirals, equity and making sure no-one is left behind. But there is a funding gap that needs to be addressed.
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- Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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