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