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HIV is one of Africa’s most intractable health challenges. Nearly 20 million people live with the virus in Sub-Saharan Africa, and in 2016 it was estimated 15,000 new infections occurred in the region each week. With World AIDS Day on Friday, we’re taking a look at efforts for better treatment and prevention.
Thumbi Ndung'u says there are four big insights giving us hope of finding a vaccine, including how our immune system tackles the virus, and how we can utilise it to fight it off HIV.
And Linda-Gail Bekker says we’d be more advanced in the fight if we could reduce the stigma around HIV. Stigma stops people getting tested, it stops them talking to sexual partners about their diagnosis, and it stops them from staying on their treatment.
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Thumbi Ndung'u, University of KwaZulu-Natal
To get an effective vaccine for HIV/AIDS, scientists need to understand exactly how the virus works and immune system responds to it. African scientists have come one step closer.
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Environment + Energy
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Jason von Meding, University of Newcastle; Hari Darshan Shrestha; Humayun Kabir, University of Dhaka; Iftekhar Ahmed, University of Newcastle
Reconstruction progress in Nepal has been painfully slow. Building code compliance and better urban planning are a must – but inequitable access to resources undermines recovery.
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Health + Medicine
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Linda-Gail Bekker, University of Cape Town
Stigma stops people from getting tested for HIV, and staying on their treatment. Unless it's addressed, the AIDS epidemic will persist.
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Arinjay Banerjee, University of Saskatchewan; Karen Mossman
Scientific studies show that bats may carry "coronoviruses" causing SARS and MERS - without showing symptoms of disease. Could the bat immune system be key to human survival in future pandemics?
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Politics + Society
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Admos Chimhowu, University of Manchester
Zimbabwe has two lost decades to move on from. Fortunately, there are many ways out.
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Ilia Xypolia, University of Aberdeen
The Libyan warlord and presidential hopeful looks likely to avoid a summons to The Hague.
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Science + Technology
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Robert Wayumba, Technical University of Kenya
Creating a reliable, up to date land register is important for African countries. Drones can help collect and record the necessary data.
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Andy Hardy, Aberystwyth University
Epidemiologists and public health managers are looking to complement indoor-based malaria solutions with those that focus on the outdoors. Drones are a crucial part of their armoury.
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Feras Dayoub, Queensland University of Technology; Jonathan Roberts, Queensland University of Technology; Michael Milford, Queensland University of Technology
Robots have already learned to cheat when playing games. How do we teach them morals if we want them more involved in our everyday lives?
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