HIV positive should be given special consideration in COVID-19 vaccination Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Experts in the medical field have called for the inclusion of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) on the list of people to be considered first for COVID-19 vaccination as countries prioritize those that are at …
Read More »Three vaccine assumptions for 2021
Realistic assumptions for policymakers to build into their vaccination planning | SWEE KHENG KHOR | Vaccinating the world against COVID-19 is one of mankind’s most critical non-wartime efforts ever. Many countries have developed ambitious, politically sensitive, and carefully sequenced vaccination plans, but executing them successfully will be a challenge. To …
Read More »Fighting HIV/AIDs
Discrimination and stigma still a challenge Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | Every year on December 1, the world marks World AIDs Day. In Uganda, it has happened for close to the 37 years, but HIV remains of one the country’sheaviest burden among infectious diseases causing both death and long-term …
Read More »Free ARVs program helping people with HIV in South Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa | Xinhua | Every two months, 49-year-old Albert Khumalo goes to a public hospital to collect his antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) which are distributed by South African government free of charge. Since tested positive to HIV in 2010, he has been taking the HIV pills. “I follow the HIV …
Read More »UNAIDS boss warns against making HIV mistakes in COVID-19 treatment
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Executive Director Winnie Byanyima has called for equitable access to COVID-19 treatments and vaccine when it becomes available warning that the world cannot make the same mistakes it made in the fight against HIV. She said millions …
Read More »UNAIDS predicts 140,000 new HIV deaths
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has launched a new report in which countries are being urged to set new targets that will enable them end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Titled, ‘Prevailing against pandemics by putting people at the …
Read More »Uganda achieves global target in efforts to end HIV/AIDS
Kampala, Uganda | Xinhua | Uganda is among the 14 countries in the world that have achieved the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) “90-90-90” target to help end the scourge by 2030, a top government official said on Tuesday. Esther Mbayo, minister for the presidency told reporters that Uganda has …
Read More »Dapivirine vaginal ring gets nod for HIV prevention among women
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, …
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