HIV Prevention News Around The Globe

Zambia is the first country in Africa to roll out long-acting, injectable HIV prevention drug

In February 2024, the Zambia Ministry of Health launched a PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) injectable – also known as long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) – which provides about two months of HIV protection for its users. Zambia is the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to offer the injectable - which is not a vaccine, but a medicine that works by blocking an enzyme HIV needs to replicate - outside of a study setting. Vaccines Work caught up with Tabo Lukato-Hadunka, a 28-year-old clinician, psychotherapeutic counsellor, self-described behavioural science enthusiast and HIV activist, who has been closely following the roll-out, to learn more.

You can read more about the story here

Nigeria gets $933m grant to fight HIV and Malaria

The Global Fund’s Grant Cycle 7 has allocated $933m to Nigeria to address HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria from 2024 to 2026.

Of this, $340,095,438 is dedicated to the HIV grant, with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS receiving $10,663,394 to lead the coordination of the multisectoral response to HIV. NACA made this known on Friday in a press statement signed by its Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Toyin Aderibigbe. To kick off the GC7 grant, the statement noted that a four-day retreat was held for the newly formed Project Monitoring Unit.

The Global Fund’s Grant Cycle 7 has allocated $933m to Nigeria to address HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria from 2024 to 2026. Of this, $340,095,438 is dedicated to the HIV grant, with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS receiving $10,663,394 to lead the coordination of the multisectoral response to HIV. NACA made this known on Friday in a press statement signed by its Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Toyin Aderibigbe. To kick off the GC7 grant, the statement noted that a four-day retreat was held for the newly formed Project Monitoring UnitEXTRA: Madrid Clinch 15th U. The retreat was designed to familiarise the new team members with their roles, reflect on past successes, identify areas for improvement, and discuss actionable strategies for future endeavours.

In her welcome remark, the Director General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, highlighted the significant accomplishments of the GC6 grant. Ilori said these accomplishments include training healthcare personnel, equipping laboratories, and meaningfully engaging communities.

You can read more about the update here

New strategy targets rare B cells for effective HIV vaccine development

A recent study published in Nature Immunology showed that germline-targeting epitope scaffold nanoparticles elicit rare broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) precursors against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Broad vaccination protection against antigenically diverse viruses, such as beta coronaviruses, hepatitis C virus, HIV, and influenza virus, requires bnAbs against the conserved epitopes on variable membrane glycoproteins. While monoclonal bnAbs have been identified for these viruses, strategies to elicit bnAbs with predefined binding specificities and genetic features are needed.

In germline-targeting vaccine design, the priming immunogen elicits responses from rare bnAb-precursor B cells with the required genetic features for bnAb development. After priming, sequential boosting with immunogens similar to native glycoproteins can guide B cell maturation to produce bnAbs against the target epitope.

This approach has been demonstrated for VRC01 class bnAbs for the HIV envelope CD4-binding site in humans. However, most VRC01-class bnAbs exhibit heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3)-dominant interactions.

You can read more about the study here

Alarm as Kenya reports cases of advanced HIV disease

In what could be a worrying trend to public health and policy experts, it is now emerging that Kenya is currently reporting cases of advanced HIV disease despite the availability of prevention and treatment options.

Dr Wafula explained that patients presenting with advanced HIV, have damaged immune systems, which results in death. A report by NASCOP reveals that advanced HIV is exposing patients to opportunistic infections like Tuberculosis (TB), diarrhea, and meningitis. “With an expanded Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) programme, we should not be seeing advanced HIV disease, which we basically used to call Aids,” she said.

It is estimated that more than 50 per cent of HIV/Aids-related deaths are associated with advanced HIV disease. Though HIV/Aids linked deaths have dropped in recent years, at least 18,473 deaths were reported in the country in 2022. In 2005, 110, 000 people died due to the disease, numbers that dropped to 53,000 in 2010, with 2015, 2019 and 2020 reporting 35,821, 20,997, 19,486, 22,373 respectively. The deaths are reported at a time the country plans to end Aids in children by 2027, and HIV infections in the general population by 2030.

You can read more about the news here

Advocates Spotlight 

WACI Health's youth leadership and advocacy program recently onboarded a new cohort of mentees. This program aims at creating a cadre of high quality and impact youth advocates. Our current cohort has young people from different African countries who meet online twice a week for mentorship. The program involves regularly bringing in mentors and experts to speak on and share their experiences. Meet Unami Kgalemeng who is an HIV prevention advocate based in Botswana.

Unami Kgalemeng is a versatile and results-oriented administration professional with vast experience in providing executive and administrative support. A Social Worker by profession, with 4 years’ experience of working with Marginalized and Vulnerable Communities on Human Rights spaces and Community awareness dialogues. She advocates for Inclusive access to SRH services for all key populations, Elimination of stigma and discrimination and intensified awareness raising/public education on the available services.

OPPORTUNITIES

The Moth Global Community Program, Global Health Innovation Personal Storytelling Workshops in Nairobi, Kenya, August/September 2024

The Moth, the internationally-acclaimed organization dedicated to the art and craft of personal stories told live, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, will conduct a storytelling workshop to explore stories that highlight the importance of global health innovation – in terms of new technologies, game-changing products, or innovative approaches – to improve lives and uplift communities. For those with personal stories about the power of science and global health innovation to improve lives and transform communities. Areas of focus could include women’s health or infectious diseases, and preferably people who have benefited from innovations in health or worked on innovative products, technologies, and approaches.

Global Health Innovation Workshop Dates:

(Applicants will select one of these two workshops)

Workshop 1: August 26-28, 2024

Workshop 2: August 31 - September 2, 2024

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

You can read more and apply here

Upcoming Events

The International Workshop on HIV, SRHR, & Adolescence 2024 will take place in Nairobi, Kenya from 2-4 October 2024.

This workshop aims to look at the fuller lives of adolescents and address the multiple overlapping drivers that impact their sexual and reproductive health and HIV needs. It explores new and innovative approaches, such as digital technology, and focuses on adolescents’ agency and leadership to control their health and lives.

Register here to join conversations with Dr. Carl Dieffenbach, Director of the Division of AIDS (DAIDS) at the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) about the future of global HIV research.

Vibe with MOSAIC's NextGen Squad: An Introduction to Oral PrEP

MOSAIC’s NextGen Squad is gearing up to host its first youth-led, youth-focused HIV prevention webinar.

Date:June 12 2024

Time: 02:00 PM SAST

If interested, Register here:

HIV Vaccine Awareness Day 2024 Webinar - Mapping Routes to Success in HIV Vaccine Development

Join the discussion on how to advance the most promising HIV vaccine candidates toward clinical trials, emphasizing the shift toward localized research and development. This HVAD 2024 webinar will also delve into the progression of experimental medicines, including germline targeting and other innovative approaches, from initial trials to gaining regulatory approval and community acceptance. The session will also focus on the crucial role of meaningful community engagement in HIV vaccine discovery and collaboration with communities, advocates, civil society, and policymakers to drive successful vaccine development.

Date:June 13 2024

Time: 02:00 PM SAST

If interested, Register here: