World Aids Day – figures are high but SA has lots to celebrate

The numbers are staggering. There were 36.7 million people living with Aids at the end of 2015. Of this, 1.8 million were children under the age of 15.

South Africa has the biggest HIV treatment programme in the world, currently treating nearly 3.5 million people who are on antiretroviral treatments.

On World Aids Day today, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed crowds at the Mabina Stadium in Daveyton, speaking about the campaign and the many strides that South Africa has made in its fight to eradicate the disease, despite the high levels of infection rates among the youth.

“As we applaud our remarkable achievements in expanding antiretroviral treatment to more than 3.7 million people, as we celebrate the dramatic reduction of mother to child transmission of HIV, as we welcome the marked increase in average life expectancy, we must be alarmed that the rate of new HIV infection remains stubbornly high,” Ramaphosa said.

He and other ministers including Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Gauteng Premier David Makhura had a not-so-pleasant welcoming, after being booed by scores of people claiming to be community health workers who had grievances with the health department.

After mentioning that the health workers’ issues would be seen to, the almost 2000 people cheered him on as he began his address.

Not to be thwarted by the negative reception, Ramaphosa emphasised the issue surrounding the high rates of infection found in young girls and women.

“We know that last year, an estimated 266 000 South Africans became infected with HIV. And each week, there are an estimated 2 000 new HIV infections in adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 years,” he said as he cautioned the continuation of the ARV programme if infection rates aren’t put to a stop.

Ramaphosa also mentioned that the new government issued condom, Max, which was introduced in September has seen great success and that girls who are diagnosed with HIV should continue with their education and stay in school.

Meanwhile, Health24 reported that history was being made in South Africa as a trial using the only vaccine in the world proven to offer some protection against HIV gets under way.

The HIV vaccine trial – known as HVTN702 – aims to have 5 400 people enrolled at 15 trial sites countrywide.

The vaccine is a modified version of a Thai vaccine that offered 31% protection to trial participants, and it is the only vaccine that has had any effect on HIV.

Scientists have been working for seven years to test the vaccine in a country with a high HIV rate to see whether it is robust enough to hold out, because HIV is not that prevalent in Thailand.

Volunteers have to have HIV and pregnancy tests a well as other laboratory tests, before they can be enrolled. Once volunteers have proven they aren’t pregnant or HIV positive, they are enrolled and they need to have five vaccination visits over a year. Three years after enrolling, they are tested for HIV.

Results from the trial are only expected in 2021, according to Dr Danielle Crida, principal investigator at the Emavendleni Clinical Research Centre in Cape Town’s New Crossroads.

	Avantika Seeth Multimedia journalist City Press p: +27 11 713 9001 w: www.citypress.co.za  e: avantika.seeth@citypress.co.za
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