There’s currently no cure for HIV.
This post on Facebook claiming to offer a cure for HIV is false.
The post, shared by a Facebook page called ‘A complete cure for HIV/aids’ claims to offer ‘quality services in HIV Medicine and Infectious Diseases’ through treatments and procedures that cure those affected such that one will test negative within 35 days.
“We have the medicine that is capable to reach in the t-cells and bone marrows in order to kill the virus completely with out harming uninfected cells so that you can be tested negatively again with in 35days. Our medicine you won’t find it anywhere like in the pharmacy or hospital due to many reasons So if you need more information, contact us or WhatsApp(sic),” reads part of the post.
The post also provides phone numbers for those interested in the said cure.
To investigate the claim, a call was made to the number and the individual asserted that the medicine could cure AIDS. However, they did not provide any information about the properties of the said cure.
Further, in one of the posts, which credits a Dr. Wilison for information about the cure, the post’s author suspiciously used the image of Dr. Daniel Kauma, a Ugandan activist. When contacted about the post, Kawuma dismissed it as fake.
Despite the claim, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated unequivocally that a cure for HIV/AIDS does not exist at this time. Current therapies can only manage the virus effectively but do not provide a cure. Once people contract HIV, they have it for life, but with proper medical care, the virus can be controlled, allowing individuals to live long, healthy lives and protect their partners.
And while breakthroughs in HIV treatment have been made, they do not constitute a cure. Research is still ongoing to find a cure, with some promising developments, such as the case of the ‘Berlin Patient’ and the ‘London Patient’ both of whom underwent bone marrow transplants that led to long-term remission of HIV. However, these cases are rare and not widely applicable.
However, Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been successful in suppressing the virus to undetectable levels in the blood, which helps prevent the progression to AIDS and reduces the risk of transmission.
In Zambia, USAID plays a critical role in combating the HIV epidemic through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). USAID’s Zambia Community HIV Prevention Project (Z-CHPP) is a major initiative aimed at preventing new HIV infections and targets high-risk groups such as discordant couples, people living with HIV, adolescent girls, young women, and others.
Additionally, Z-CHPP leads the DREAMS program, which focuses on reducing new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women aged 10-24. The project incorporates community-based behavioural interventions, improved condom accessibility, and high-impact services, addressing structural drivers like gender inequality, lack of education, and poverty that heighten the risk of HIV infection.
It is vital to rely on accurate information to ensure continued progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS and to maintain the health and well-being of those affected by the virus.
This fact-check was produced by Bloggers of Zambia, under the African Fact-Checking Incubator programme, with support from PesaCheck, Code for Africa’s fact-checking initiative, and the African Fact-Checking Alliance(AFCA).
