Aids-HIV Cure News 2017: UNAIDS Reveals Numbers Have Declined; Scientists Launch Injectable HIV Treatment Trials
AIDS and HIV have killed millions of people in the past years. Now, it appears that people living with the HIV virus and AIDS disease can have a chance at a long life, thanks to the progress in various studies.
In a recent press release, UNAIDS has revealed that according to their research, the number deaths caused by AIDS has been reduced to half since 2005 and about 53 percent of the people living with HIV now have access to proper treatments.
Last year, 19.5 million of the 36.7 million people living with HIV gained access to treatment. Assuming that this improvement continues, there is a possibility that by the year 2020, around 30 million people in the world will be undergoing treatment.
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"We met the 2015 target of 15 million people on treatment and we are on track to double that number to 30 million and meet the 2020 target," Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, said. "We will continue to scale up to reach everyone in need and honour our commitment of leaving no one behind," Sidibé added.
Meanwhile, there is more good news for the HIV/AIDS patients. The Independent has reported that the Makerere University scientists who have been working on finding an effective cure for HIV and AIDS have reached another milestone as they launch the injectable Antiretroviral (ARV) therapy trials.
The study will reportedly involve over 200 female sex workers from various parts of Uganda, except for pregnant or nursing mothers. In partnership with Johns-Hopkins University of USA scientists, they are looking for individuals to participate in the study, which is slated to begin in October.
Additionally, FOX News has reported that a South African female, who was born with the AIDS virus, has been able to keep her HIV infection suppressed for more than eight years after she stopped taking anti-HIV medicines.
This suggests that the earlier the disease is treated, the bigger the chance for the treatment to lead to a long remission, and even a cure.
