Times Live Blog: Promising results in blocking HIV during first days of infection: M2010
South African activist wants microbicides field opened up
By Henry Neondo (ASNS) 23 May 2010: Outside advances in science, activism could correctly be said to have been the single most major contributor to the successes, development and wide accessibility of Anti-retroviral drugs that have helped in the management of HIV.
Now in its 30 years, it is becoming clear to clinicians, policy
makers and researchers that focusing on treatment alone will not help
overcome the challenge HIV poses to mankind.
According to Nomfundo ‘Nono’ Eland, of Treatment Action Campaign,
South Africa, “in South Africa today it is estimated that for every one
person put on antiretroviral therapy, five more will catch HIV”.
‘For every 100 people put on anti-retroviral treatment, 250 are newly infected with HIV” said Prof Robin Shattock from St George’s University of London, UK. Yet prevention is needed for all both the healthy and non-healthy individuals.
According to Prof Shattock, the best successes in the war against HIV is the fact that every year, there are new ART drugs coming up. Currently, there are 28-30 licensed ART drugs and microbicides wish to begin using some of these drugs to work on.
But reality, he said was that everybody now accepts that HIV is so
difficult to tackle that all available preventive tools and approaches
that give broader activities against the disease.
“Treatment alone would not work. We need to boost prevention
strategies or else, we will never be able to overcome the HIV
challenge”.