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HIV/Aids Vaccine Ready Soon - AAVP

This Day
Onwuka Nzeshi
29 November 2007

African AIDS Vaccine Programme (AAVP), yesterday said research has reached an advanced stage, on an effective vaccine to combat HIV/AIDS. The group said some vaccines have been developed and will soon undergo test trials in different parts of Africa, to establish their efficacy and suitability for the HIV-1 prevalent in the continent.

AAVP has also announced nomination of its high level advocate for advancing the cause of research and development of HIV/AIDS vaccine for Africans, and appointed Mrs Jeanette Kagame, First Lady of Rwanda as its Goodwill Ambassador, to help raise awareness among decision makers in support of research and development of the vaccine. AAVP Chairman, Dr Pontiano Kaleebu, said this at the fourth African AIDS Vaccine Programme Forum in Abuja.

Kaleebu said the development of a vaccine has been going on for some time and substantial progress has been made throughout Africa. to ensure the active participation of key stakeholders in Africa for the development of the vaccine."AAVP has played an important role in promoting Africa's establishment and implementation of national policies and strategies related to the development and use of future HIV vaccines.

Since 1999, when the first HIV/AIDS vaccine trial was conducted in Africa, there have been more than 12 trials in eight African countries and the financial investment on this programme has increased significantly," Kaleebu said,According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the development of a safe, effective and accessible vaccine remained the best long term solution to the control of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, often described as the worst plague of the millennium.

WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Peter Eriki disclosed that the developed HIV vaccine will constitute an important component of the HIV prevention intervention package that will greatly improve the outcomes of HIV preventive efforts. Eriki, however advocated stronger alliances between African institutions and governments and other international agencies including scientists, private individuals, professional associations, civil society organisations and communities promoting the development and future access to an HIV vaccine suitable for Africa.

Available statistics indicate that more than 50million people in Africa have been infected and more than 20 million have died since the epidemic broke out in the 1980s. The 2007 HIV/AIDS report just recently released by WHO and UNAIDS estimates that two thirds of the 2.5m new infections globally during 2007 alone occurred in Africa and HIV/AIDS remains the primary cause of death among adults living in sub-saharan Africa.

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