By Muhammad Amaan
Nigeria and seven other African countries have begun a project to check HIV in the continent.
The project is tagged, Bringing Innovation to cLinical and Laboratory research to end HIV In Africa through New vaccine Technology (BRILLIANT) for HIV vaccine research and development.
Executive Director, International Research Centre of Excellence, Institute of Human Virology (IHVN), Professor Alash’le Abimiku disclosed this at a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja.
The theme of the briefing was, “HIV Vaccine, Innovation, Science, and Technology Acceleration in Africa (HIV-VISTA) study.”
Prof. Abimiku said that the countries involved were Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Mozambique.
She said that the objective of the consortium is to evaluate HIV vaccine candidates emanating from the continent.
She added that the initiative was to harness and catalyse African scientists to contribute to an effective HIV vaccine.
“Through these efforts, African institutions will be encouraged to become more autonomous, generate domestic resource support, and form partnerships with the private sector.
“It will possibly create a more sustainable system for HIV vaccine research and development, which is progressively and inordinately dependent on the U.S government,” she said.
She expressed optimism that the partnership will acknowledge the potential of great innovation and science from Africa to solve global health challenges especially those that disproportionally devastate the continent.
Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori, said that HIV still persisted in spite of efforts at controlling it, hence the need for new tools for prevention.
“The agency has continued to provide preventive measures, but an effective vaccine is crucial to our efforts.
“The BRILLIANT study offers hope for a vaccine tailored to the needs of our population, and Nigeria’s involvement in this global initiative is critical.
“Our participation supports both local and international efforts to end AIDS and brings us closer to a vaccine that could save countless lives across Africa and beyond,” she said.
She said that the BRILLIANT study exemplified the strength of global collaboration and scientific progress.
“Together, we can achieve our shared goal of eradicating HIV worldwide, and Nigeria is honoured to play a vital role in this endeavour,” she said.
Dr Ezekiel James, the Deputy Director of the office of HIV/TB from U.S. Agency for International Development (USAIDS), said that the study offered opportunity for stakeholders to combine efforts to achieve HIV epidemic control.
Similarly, Dr Leo Zekeng, UNAIDS Country Director, stressed the need to engage the community to create awareness of HIV vaccines and similar research that continues to break HIV transmission rates.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had, on Tuesday, named HIV, malaria, Tuberculosis, and 14 other pathogens as top priorities for new vaccine development.
Also, according to UNAIDS, there are an estimated 39.9 million people living with HIV across the globe in 2023, with an estimated 1.3 million new infections.
Africa has about 25.9 million (65 per cent) of the global burden with Nigeria, contributing about 1.9 million, making it the fourth largest HIV burden country globally.
The USAIDS awarded more than 45 million dollars to the BRILLIANT consortium through a competitive process to implement a cooperative agreement under the BRILLIANT project.
