SOUTH AFRICA’S HIV CURE BREAKTHROUGH: A RAY OF HOPE AMID WESTERN FUNDING CUTS
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| SOUTH AFRICA’S HIV CURE BREAKTHROUGH: A RAY OF HOPE AMID WESTERN FUNDING CUTS |
By Daniel Okonkwo
Durban, South Africa – In a scientific decisive point
that has captivated global attention, South Africa has delivered promising results in the ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS. A groundbreaking clinical trial has shown that 20% of participants remained off antiretroviral therapy (ART) and virally suppressed for 18 months — a feat that may redefine the future of HIV treatment and possibly a cure.
The trial, conducted in Durban, represents the first HIV cure study on the African continent. It employed a method known as combination immunotherapy, aiming to reduce or eliminate hidden reservoirs of HIV in the body and empower the immune system to independently control the virus.
Led by the HIV Pathogenesis Programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT and Harvard, and Gilead Sciences Inc., the study enrolled 20 women — a group often underrepresented in cure-related research but disproportionately affected by HIV.
Of these participants, six were able to stay off HIV treatment for nearly a year. Four continued without medication until the study concluded at 55 weeks and remained off ART 1.5 years later. These findings were presented at the 2025 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in San Francisco.
“While this treatment approach didn’t work for everyone, it provides a vital proof of concept,” said Professor Thumbi Ndung’u, Director of Basic & Translational Science at AHRI. “It shows that complex HIV cure research can be successfully conducted in Africa, where the need is greatest.”
This hopeful development comes amid a backdrop of severe funding cuts by the United States to HIV/AIDS programs across Africa. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw funding from critical initiatives such as PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) was met with alarm by health experts and aid organizations.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, the funding withdrawal could lead to up to 500,000 deaths in South Africa alone over the next decade. Similar projections warn of hundreds of thousands of avoidable deaths across the continent, potentially rolling back decades of progress.
These warnings are grounded in hard data. Globally, 86% of people living with HIV know their status, 77% are on ART, and 72% have suppressed viral loads. Eastern and Southern Africa — particularly tough— boast 93% awareness of HIV status, with strong ART (81%) and suppression (76%) rates.
Conversely, regions such as Western and Central Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean lag significantly. Only 60% of HIV-positive individuals in Western and Central Africa achieve viral suppression. The Eastern Mediterranean has the lowest figures worldwide, with only 38% aware of their status and just 24% achieving viral suppression.
Despite geopolitical setbacks, the South African trial offers hope. The global scientific community has long pursued the “95–90–86” targets:
95% of people with HIV know their status,
90% of those diagnosed receiving treatment,
86% of those on treatment achieved viral suppression.
While these benchmarks remain elusive for many regions, South Africa’s trial suggests that remission — and possibly a cure — may be within reach. It also shows the necessity of supporting locally led scientific innovation, particularly in regions hardest hit by the epidemic.
The implications are global. If combination immunotherapy can be refined and scaled, millions could one day live without lifelong medication. Trials like South Africa must be celebrated, funded, and replicated — not only for the benefit of Africa but for the world.
Other ongoing trials, such as the international PAUSE study across South Africa, Malawi, and Botswana, further amplify this momentum. However, without sustained international cooperation and investment, these breakthroughs risk becoming isolated victories.
Western nations, particularly the United States, must reflect on the real-world consequences of retreating from their global health commitments. The moral and medical imperative remains: HIV is not an African disease — it is a human one. And so, too, must be the response.
But beyond the plea for support, a deeper truth emerges: Africa must be liberated — scientifically, economically, and ideologically. The continent must take control of its health agenda, invest in its researchers, and build institutions that can innovate independently. Our breakthroughs must not stop at our borders. Just as we benefit from global science, so too must the world benefit from African discoveries.
South Africa’s HIV trial is not just a major event — it is a call to action. A vision where African-led innovation lights the path for a healthier world.
#Profiles International Human Rights Advocate.
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