World AIDS Day: Celebrating Progress, Confronting the Challenges Ahead
On World AIDS Day, we celebrate the groundbreaking work of UCT researchers in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic, showcasing their commitment to equity, innovation, and access to care. While 2024 saw incredible breakthroughs in combatting HIV, particularly the new HIV prevention drug, research has also revealed how much is yet to be done.
There is much to celebrate in the battle against HIV, from the dark days of former President Thabo Mbeki’s AIDS denialism and the resulting block of life-saving anti-retroviral treatment (ART) by the South African government, to having one of the world’s largest ART programmes.
But there is still a long way to go. Southern Africa remains the epicenter of the HIV pandemic. Globally HIV-related illnesses claim approximately 680,000 lives annually, with Africa bearing the brunt of this toll—460,000 deaths each year. HIV continues to rank among the top five causes of mortality on the continent.
Researchers in the Faculty of Health Sciences are at the forefront of global research to better understand the virus, its impact and how healthcare systems can most effectively deliver treatment to ensure people living with HIV can live full and healthy lives.