South Africa is at the threshold of declaring victory against HIV, however, much more needs to be done. This is according to Deputy President, Kgalema Motlanthe in his closing address at the sixth South African Aids Conference that ended this week.
The conference was set on the backdrop of Building on Successes and Integrating Systems, a theme that resonated throughout all sessions. South Africa has learned of the progress that has been achieved with over 2 million people on antiretroviral treatment, although its healthcare system continues to face many challenges.
At this stage, the National Department of Health is preparing to introduce new interventions that will be integrated into existing structures. Some of these resolutions include:
Strengthened health policies on contraception and reproductive services for young women and girls across the country. The Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi emphasised that these are also to be initiated in the school health programme.
· The upscaling of behavioural programmes for age groups 15 to 29 is equally important. The 2012 Household Survey indicates a drop in condom use and an increase in the number of people with multiple sexual partners. Young people need to be better equipped regarding issues on their sexual behaviour.The Higher Education’s HIV/Aids programmes aim to bring ARV facilities into universities and FET colleges countrywide, as well as the training of teachers on how to provide on-site assistance to students living with HIV, particularly when dealing with stigma and discrimination.
· The introduction of a new male circumcision device namely, the PrePex, to reduce the risk of HIV infection by 50 to 60% among South Africa’s young men. South Africa is in the process of preparing a roll-out the Tenofovir gel. A study that was conucted by researchers at the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa in 2010 discovered that women who inserted tenofovir gel in their vaginas before and after sex reduced the risk of HIV infection by up to 39%. In addition to this, the gel also proved 51% effective in preventing genital herpes infections.The country has made great strides in the field of scientific research in quest to find an HIV vaccine.
In conclusion to the conference, the Health Department, together with researchers, expressed a renewed commitment to confront the issues that pose challenges to the collective efforts in the fight against the HIV epidemic in South Africa. They wish to intensify HIV prevention and treatment for key populations such as people living with disabilities, sex workers, infants and children, women as well as the youth remain a priority.
The country has made great strides in the field of scientific research in quest to find an HIV vaccine. It has been difficult for scientific researchers across the globe to discover a cure for this disease, as the nature of the virus continues to evolve. South Africa made news headlines in 2012 when the Centre of the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa) consortium announced that it is one step closer to the development of an HIV vaccine.
A five year-long study on two HIV positive women based in KwaZulu-Natal led to the discovery that certain HIV-infected people develop very powerful antibody responses. As a result, researchers can now make potent antibodies which are able to kill up to 88% of HIV types from around the world. This study is said to be a benchmark for further global studies.
The conference created a platform for experts to build on this success. “Over the next three years we predict that South African researchers will produce more major scientific breakthroughs on the path to a new approach for an HIV cure as well as in the treatment of HIV,” said Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Caprisa Director, in his final remarks at the conference.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) is an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and is now in partnership with the Medical Research Council. This new joint agreement will provide future HIV research aid worth R300 million.It is clear that the integration of new HIV interventions play a significant role in saving lives. The conference offered a clear indication of how South Africa can remain on course towards meeting the universal targets of zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero Aids-related deaths.
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