African AIDS Vaccine Programme for a Coordinated and Collaborative Vaccine Development Effort on the Continent

N early 30 years after the first cases of AIDS were reported [1] and HIV identified as the causative agent, Africa today bears a disproportionate burden of the disease. Sub-Saharan Africa has just over 10% of the world's population but is home to more than 65% of the 33 million people in the world estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS. The annual rate of new infections continues to rise, with an estimated 2.5 million people newly infected in 2007 [2]. Although newer initiatives aimed at providing universal access to antiretroviral therapy in Africa are ongoing, most Africans receive neither treatment nor adequate care [3]. Relatively few HIV-infected patients in sub-Saharan Africa (about 1 million) are currently receiving antiretroviral treatment [4], and many more new cases are occurring each year [2]. It is thus evident that treatment alone will not control the spread of the disease and that a vaccine is our best hope of halting this pandemic. In the history of infectious diseases, effective vaccines are critical public health tools to control and prevent diseases. Developing an effective HIV vaccine is proving to be one of the greatest challenges in biomedical research. The need for a simple, safe, effective, affordable, and equitably distributed preventive HIV vaccine to complement existing HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care programs is greater than ever. It is probable that vaccines will form part of future innovative interventions including microbicides and circumcision, used in conjunction with other more traditional prevention interventions. An African response—the genesis of AAVP. AAVP was created in 2000 within the global context of relatively little attention being paid to Africa's need for an HIV vaccine. While an HIV vaccine has always been considered a global public good, most laboratory and clinical activities prior to 2000 were conducted in the industrialized world with candidate vaccines that were not based on strains circulating in Africa. AAVP was created with the specific intention of mobilizing support and advocating for a more Africa-focused vaccine agenda. In 2000, representative African scientists met in Nairobi to create AAVP and issued a declaration— " An African Appeal for an AIDS Vaccine " [5]. The mission of AAVP is to advocate for and support a coordinated international effort to promote the development of and future access to HIV vaccines suitable for Funding: AAVP is funded by CIDA Canada, SIDA/ SAREC Sweden, and WHO/UNAIDS. These funders had no role in the decision …