Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A vaginal ring that has been undergoing trials has been given approval by the European Medicines Agency to be used as an HIV prevention method among women who have tested negative. The flexible vaginal ring which contains Dapivirine, an antiretroviral drug, is inserted in the …
Read More »HIV response is still failing children- Byanyima
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The HIV response for children has fallen behind despite great progress made since the early days of the epidemic. This is according to the latest report on the progress towards the Start Free, Stay Free, AIDS-Free targets, released as part of the ongoing AIDS-2020 …
Read More »COVID-19 pandemic derails global HIV targets
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | HIV targets set for 2020 will not be reached owing part to deeply unequal access to antiretroviral therapy and service disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is according to a report released by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS- UNAIDS, …
Read More »Byanyima calls for equality in COVID-19 vaccine, medicine and test kits
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | UNAIDS Executive Director Engineer Winnie Byanyima has advised that COVID-19 vaccines must be free to all races in case Scientists discover one. She says World leaders must unite behind the development what she has called “a people vaccine” Byanyima in a message ahead of the …
Read More »COVID-19 disruptions could cause 500,000 extra deaths from HIV
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Disruptions of antiretroviral therapy could lead to more than 500,000 extra deaths from AIDS-related illnesses in sub-Saharan Africa if efforts are not made to overcome interruptions in health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The estimates were unveiled by a modelling group convened by the …
Read More »Stay focused on HIV prevention during COVID-19 pandemic – UNAIDS
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Countries have been urged to remain steadfast in their HIV prevention efforts and ensure that people can continue to access the services they need even in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The call was made by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS …
Read More »Winnie Byanyima’s diplomacy
How Besigye’s wife negotiated a deal between Museveni and Kagame Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | On Dec. 03 2019, Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of the United Nations Aids (UNAIDS) programme, was at the airport in Kigali, Rwanda, when she received a telephone call. She was told President Paul …
Read More »Fighting HIV stigma through beauty pageantry
Participants in the Y+ pageant are groomed into anti-discrimination ambassadors and given life skills to tap into opportunities Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | Robina Babirye is an articulate young lady who has garnered a large following on Facebook. She is not a television presenter or an aspiring politician. Babirye …
Read More »Researcher studies how long it takes for HIV positive person to develop AIDS
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Using genes, Makerere University based Researcher Dr. Gerald Mboowa can determine how many years it will take a person living with HIV without treatment can progress into AIDS. Dubbed, ‘Functional host-genetic loci associated with pediatric HIV-disease progression in Uganda and Botswana”, his research reveals that …
Read More »Discovery of a new HIV strain
What it means for the pandemic | LINDA-GAIL BEKKER | The discovery of a rare new strain of HIV for the first time in nearly 20 years recently made headlines around the world. The big question is what the discovery means for the overall response to the HIV epidemic. A …
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