HEALTH
HEALTH
Lifesaving treatment
Ngcobo ’ s one pill taken twice a day is a far cry from the cocktail of drugs needed to combat the condition just a few years ago .
Billions of dollars in funding by the United States through the President ’ s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief means millions of people are now on lifesaving HIV treatment -- and that treatment continues to improve .
Ngcobo ’ s medication is also more effective than previous tablets , which he says is important , because the stigma around HIV and AIDS still exists .
“ You can ’ t even cough without people feeling sorry for you ,” he said .
That stigma is one reason why many young people keep their status hidden and why many more refuse to even get tested .
Ngcobo says he doesn ’ t know how many people in this tightly populated township are living with HIV or are on courses of treatment like his .
But the government estimates that more than 3 million South Africans are on antiretrovirals : the highest figure in the world and a tremendous public health burden for this developing nation .
‘ People are still dying ’
No generation suffers from the effects of the disease more than Ngcobo ’ s , but prevention and treatment , especially among teenagers , goes only so far .
“ For me , it seems incredible that anyone could still die of AIDS ,” said Linda-Gail Bekker , who runs the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation ’ s Emavundleni Research Centre . “ And people are still dying . I see it in my daily practice , particularly young people .”
Worldwide , it ’ s estimated that one adolescent becomes infected with HIV / AIDS every two minutes .
In Gugulethu and other communities , stigma still prevents many people from getting tested or disclosing their HIV status .
He points to the United States , where , despite prevention efforts , infection rates have remained stubbornly level for the past 15 years .
In South Africa , there are still more teenagers with HIV than are receiving treatment . That , says Bekker , is a lethal combination .
“ If we ultimately want to control this epidemic , we are going to need to control the number of people becoming infected , and there is no better way , no sustainable way , than having a prophylactic vaccine ,” she said .
“ It is the holy grail of epidemic control .”
Vaccine finally within reach ?
Recruiting in a mall is usually difficult , says Noro Tshongoyi . Sure , there are plenty of crowds , but people are too busy shopping to pay attention .
“ They don ’ t want to just stand there and listen to me talk ,” she said . But it ’ s different with this trial , she says , since she ’ s offering them a chance to be part of history .
In the past month , sites in South Africa have begun enrolling more than 5,000 HIV-negative volunteers to take part in the largest vaccine trial in nearly a decade .
The phase III HVTN 702 study builds off a 2009 trial in Thailand , which was the first to show any signs of protection against HIV , with 31 % protection against the virus .
Linda-Gail Bekker calls an HIV vaccine the holy grail of epidemic control . “ We can collectively write the last chapters of HIV .”
Anthony Fauci , director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , says the perception that the global HIV / AIDS crisis is over is “ completely unwarranted .”
Noro Tshongoyi recruits volunteers for the HIV trial . She says young women in particular would benefit .
LIFE TODAY MAGAZINE Issue 1 , No . 001 / 17 / December 2016 25