On Wednesday, the head of the federal health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, said that the Russian Central Research Institute of Epidemiology has developed a new gene therapy medicine for people living with HIV.
“The Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor created a fundamentally new drug for gene therapy, gene prophylactic treatment and molecular vaccination against HIV.
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“A highly active antiviral drug called Dinavir, which will soon be clinically tested, has been created,†Popova said on the sidelines of an international conference on HIV and AIDS in Moscow.
The official noted that Russia was facing a number a number of problems related to treatment of HIV and AIDS, including high prices for treatment and lack of proper medications.
This is very much similar to the problems posed by HIV treatment in Nigeria.
Millions of people have been infected with HIV since it was first discovered in early 1980s, prompting the development of drugs that would help tackle the deadly virus.
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This is good news to Nigeria where it is estimated that every 5 out of 100 persons (5%) has HIV/AIDS. The number of people living with HIV vary from 1 to 12 in every 100 persons in the various states of the the country. In 2004, an estimated 3.2 to 3.8 million Nigerians have been infected by HIV making Nigeria the third highest prevalence rate worldwide; next to South Africa and India.
Though the rate of daily infection of HIV has dropped significantly due to efforts of the federal government, civil society organizations, multinational organisations, private individuals, among others; people living with the disease in Nigeria are desperately looking for “HIV cure.
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HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It harms your immune system by destroying the white blood cells that fight infection. This puts you at risk for serious infections and certain cancers. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the final stage of infection with HIV. Not everyone with HIV develops AIDS.
HIV most often spreads through unprotected s*x with an infected person. It may also spread by sharing drug needles or through contact with the blood of an infected person. Women can give it to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth.
The first signs of HIV infection may be swollen glands and flu-like symptoms. These may come and go within two to four weeks. Severe symptoms may not appear until months or years later.
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A blood test can tell if you have HIV infection. Your health care provider can do the test, or you can use a home testing kit
