A new injection that prevents development of HIV showing excellent results in trials. There are still some obstacles to its further rollout in the country, however. South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world, with over seven million people living with the virus. While the country has made significant strides in terms of treatment, with millions of people on anti-retroviral medication, there were still about 160,000 new infections last year, according to U.N. data. A new injectable drug, known as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), offers protection for people at high risk of getting infected. Unlike the already available oral PrEP – which must be taken daily — the shot is only given every two months. Linda-Gail Bekker, CEO of the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, says a study of its use in women in Africa showed an 89 percent reduction in HIV infections in users of injectable PrEP compared to oral PrEP. It could be a game-changer for women at risk of contracting HIV, which causes AIDS, because it puts prevention in the hands of the user. Young women are able to take it discreetly, without asking their partner to do anything.
SOURCE: VOA