It is widely accepted that money makes the world go round, and in the case of Africa it appears as if a lack of cash may be one of the major hurdles in finding an effective AIDS vaccine in the shortest possible time – an essential intervention in curbing an epidemic that is causing havoc in parts of the continent.

This week, Africa’s tops scientists and researchers put their heads together with the developed world in an effort to ensure that when a vaccine is developed, it reaches Africa at the same time.

The African AIDS Vaccine Programme (AAVP), a network of African scientists, working to promote and facilitate HIV vaccine research and evaluation in Africa, through capacity building and regional and international collaboration, facilitated the conference.

In 2000 a group of African scientists, including Medical Research Council president William Makgoba, adopted “The Nairobi Declaration: An African Appeal for an AIDS Vaccine”. In short, the group pledged to use their personal and collective commitment and expertise in the development and implementation of an African Strategy for AIDS Vaccines.  

But why does Africa need to battle for an AIDS vaccine while in the developed world they appear to be at the threshold of introducing the first vaccine, developed for a strain of the virus that is very rare on the continent and almost unheard of in southern Africa?  

According to research conducted by Sophia Mukasa-Monico of the International Council of AIDS Services Organisations (ICASO) in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS, only about $41-million of an estimated $2,5-billion used on HIV/AIDS research globally, is spent on finding a vaccine for Africa.  

These figures come in the light of the fact that 85% of all AIDS-related deaths are in Africa with drastic decreases in life expectancy (below 50 years) in most of the countries.  

South Africa is facing an AIDS orphan population of 2,5-million by 2010 and neighbouring Zimbabwe 1,5-million.  

Mukasa-Monico’s findings highlight the fact that only 1,6% of the global effort on HIV research is being targeted to develop vaccines for Africa, while only 12,6% of the global vaccine research effort is targeted to the continent.

AAVP has estimated that to achieve the proposed milestone of a vaccine by 2009, $233-million dollars need to be pumped in over the next 7 years.  

“It is unacceptable that the continent that is home to two thirds of all people living with HIV/AIDS receives so little attention,” said Mukasa-Monico.

Makgoba said AAVP was committed to protecting Africans from fly-by-night science and develop an affordable vaccine in the shortest possible time.  

One of the silent driving forces behind the African vaccine, Jose Esparza, co-ordinator of the WHO-UNAIDS HIV Vaccine Initiative, said that Africans were not demanding more vocally.

“There is a sense that Africa cannot contribute to developing a vaccine. There is a sense that Africa needs to wait patiently for a vaccine to come from the north. This is not acceptable.

“A vaccine will not be developed in a short time unless African scientists and institutions become involved,” Esparza said.  

“AAVP needs to ensure that the continent plays a role in developing a vaccine for the entire world.”

Asked by a delegate how Africa would motivate for millions of dollars for a vaccine that is very much in the future, while people are presently dying of hunger and AIDS-related diseases, Steve Wakefield of the HIV Vaccines Trials Network said it was important to bear in mind that the average cost of an America movie was $50-million. “About eight such movies are released every week,” he said.

Esparza acknowledged that a lot of money was needed, but reminded delegates that it would not cost as much as the epidemic was costing Africa in pain and loss.

Overall it appears as if to a large degree South Africa and more specifically Southern Africa’s hopes rest on the shoulders of a handful of dedicated people at the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative.

SAAVI has some of the world’s top scientists and researchers working against the clock to produce the first vaccine for phase I trials, specifically developed for the Clade C strain found in southern Africa.

SAAVI head Tim Tucker said the initiative was in the process of fast tracking two candidate vaccines at the University of Cape Town and two at the University of Stellenbosch.

But he added his voice to the choir, stating that long-term financial security was of the essence, especially for the research and development component and “billions” for the manufacturing component.

He noted that there were now vaccines in the pipeline, clinical sites were prepared, community involvement was developing and there was a good relationship with the regulatory authorities with good support from
government and the private sector.  

“AIDS has become a nightmare in Africa, let it (a vaccine) become a dream worth dreaming,” Esparza concluded.