Three organizations involved in the fight against HIV-AIDS in South Africa launched this Friday a new antiretroviral prevention method for women in the African country that suffers from the largest AIDS epidemic in the world.
“The AIDS Foundation of South Africa, Beyond Zero and Networking HIV & AIDS Community of Southern Africa have placed an initial order for 16,000 dapivirine vaginal rings for HIV prevention with support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund),” the international organization said in a statement.
According to the note, released in the South African economic capital, the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) ring “is a silicone ring that is inserted into the vagina each month and offers long-acting, topical and localized HIV prevention,” and adds that “To date, the dapivirine vaginal ring is the only PrEP ring approved by regulatory agencies for HIV prevention.”
Inspired by female contraceptive methods, the vaginal ring gradually releases an antiretroviral, dapivirine, and must be replaced every month, he noted.
The introduction of the new antiretroviral prevention method in South Africa allows women to expand their options beyond oral PrEP, according to the organization.
“Women’s health advocates have long argued for the need for a discreet product that women control exclusively,” said Global Fund Director Peter Sands.
“We are convinced that this new PrEP ring can have a revolutionary impact on HIV prevention and that is why we hope that many more countries will follow South Africa’s lead,” he said.
In January 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) conditionally recommended the use of the dapivirine vaginal ring, according to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
To date, Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe have approved the dapivirine vaginal ring, he noted.
The Global Fund indicated that South Africa is currently suffering from “the largest HIV epidemic in the world”, with around 8 million people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
“Although new infections have decreased, the country still recorded the highest number of new HIV infections worldwide, more than 160,000, in 2022,” he noted.
Seventy-five percent of those infected with HIV received antiretroviral treatment in 2022, and “new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have decreased annually since the early 2000s,” according to the Global Fund. Fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Source: TSF
