Africa Must Lead HIV Cure Research or Repeat Past Delays, Experts Warn

Africa must take the reins of HIV cure research to prevent further delays in accessing life-saving medical advancements, warned Albert Machinda, head of the Africa HIV Cure Consortium. Machinda urged African governments, researchers, and communities to spearhead the next phase of HIV science during the 2026 HIV Research Community Symposium in Kampala.

He highlighted Africa's past dependence on medical innovations developed elsewhere, which has historically postponed access to crucial treatments like antiretroviral therapy (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), as well as COVID-19 vaccines, resulting in significant loss of life. "If we look at the history of HIV and where we've come from, we do not want to be left behind," Machinda stated, emphasizing that the continent has largely been a consumer, not a producer, of medical innovations.

Machinda pointed out that ART became available in the United States years before reaching many African nations, leaving countless individuals waiting. Similarly, oral PrEP, introduced in the U.S. around 2012, took years to gain traction in Africa, despite the continent bearing the world's highest HIV burden. He noted that similar access challenges arose with COVID-19 vaccines due to manufacturing being concentrated outside Africa.

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If we look at the history of HIV and where we've come from, we do not want to be left behind.

"We want to change that narrative. The next frontier is HIV cure, and we cannot repeat the mistakes of the past," he declared. Machinda revealed that while Africa accounts for about 65% of people living with HIV globally, it contributes less than 1% of global HIV cure research. This imbalance is particularly concerning given that HIV transmission patterns and virus subtypes in Africa differ significantly from those in Europe and North America.

To bridge this gap, African scientists, civil society organizations, and international partners established the Africa HIV Cure Consortium two years ago. This initiative aims to place the continent at the forefront of HIV cure research. Founding African members include Uganda's Joint Clinical Research Centre, the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, the African Alliance, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal. International partners include the International AIDS Society, AVAC, and Georgetown University's HIV Cure Acceleration Partnership.

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We want to change that narrative. The next frontier is HIV cure, and we cannot repeat the mistakes of the past.