World AIDS Day is commemorated each year on the 1 December. Image: Canva
In light of World Aids Day, here are some recent innovations that are empowering HIV+ people to live fulfilled lives.
World AIDS Day is commemorated each year on the 1 December. Image: Canva
South Africa has 8.2 million HIV+ people. This makes it the country with the highest HIV+ population in the world. Prior to the pandemic, serious strides were made in reaching the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids’ (UNAIDS) targets.
Now, it’s essential to get testing and treatment back on track, while vaccinating as many people as possible against the current pandemic.
Dr Marion Morkel, chief medical officer at Sanlam, says this Word Aids Day is a moment of reflection to consider the progress made, COVID-19 learnings, and what needs to happen next.
Listed below are some recent innovations that are empowering HIV+ people to live “normal” lives.
Morkel says that while the HIV/Aids and COVID-19 pandemics have had many parallels, the most striking difference between the responses is the time to authorisation and rollout of preventative vaccines.
“In under a year, emergency use authorisation of initial vaccines against COVID-19 was granted by the FDA and European Medicines Agency. After over 30 years of research, only six efficacy trials of candidate HIV vaccines have been completed.
“The reasons for this are multifaceted and complex. However, the COVID-19 response shows what’s possible when there’s collective buy-in and commitment from global nations, scientists, and society at large. WHO is currently exploring how to leverage these processes to accelerate the final vaccine rollout for HIV.”
Morkel says evidence has shown that HIV+ individuals are more vulnerable to severe illness if infected with COVID-19, which means COVID-19 vaccination status will be considered for insurance underwriting.
Also Read: Aids timeline: Four decades but still no silver bullet
HIV is treated like any other chronic disorder, with the severity of the disease, treatment compliance, markers indicating the level of disease control, and co-morbidities all considered.
Going forwards, she urges all HIV+ people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
She also encourages all South Africans to get tested for HIV regularly.
“An HIV+ diagnosis doesn’t mean what it used to. Advancements mean that people that test positive can live fulfilled lives. It’s critical to know your status and use new tools to adhere to treatment regimens. It’s also vital to be honest and upfront with an insurer about your status.”