A vaginal ring is a revolutionary strategy in the fight against new HIV infections that several African countries are bravely adopting.
The cutting-edge ring was created by International Partnerships for Microbicides and is composed of silicone and rubber. The rings could revolutionize the fight against new HIV infections by putting the power of prevention in the hands of women, especially when used in conjunction with other preventative measures.
“Most of the current HIV prevention methods are male-controlled, compelling women into negotiating for their use and application,” claimed Patriciah Jeckoniah, a technical advisor on HIV prevention policy based in Kenya.
According to her, women need more covert preventative measures, which vaginal rings fill. Before needing replacement, the rings progressively release the antiviral medication dapivirine over a period of 28 to 30 days.
According to the Ministry of Health, a significant trial of the rings will soon begin in Kenya.
According to MoH, a five-year research will be conducted at six institutions in Kisumu, Nairobi, and Mombasa to evaluate their effectiveness.
“Vaginal rings provide a preventive option in the face of decreased funding in the healthcare industry. According to Patrick Amoth, acting director general of the Ministry of Health, investing one dollar can save fourteen.
According to him, the cutting-edge rings could help reduce the disproportionately high transmission rates among women and girls.
According to the most recent UNAids statistics, between 1 million and 1.7 million people will have caught HIV in 2022. Women and girls were impacted by 46% of these new infections globally, while in sub-Saharan Africa, 63% of the approximately 700,000 new infections were caused by women and girls.
A route toward widespread adoption and the dissemination of vaginal rings is gradually emerging across the continent as Kenya continues its investigation.
Notably, South Africa and Zimbabwe have already assumed the lead. The rings received permission by South Africa’s pharmaceuticals authority, Sahpra, in March 2022 after being approved and made available in Zimbabwe a year earlier.
The usage of vaginal rings has also received approval from other countries like Malawi, Zambia, and Uganda.
After IPM submitted regulatory applications in more than a dozen sub-Saharan African nations, including Botswana, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, additional rollouts are planned.
Experts emphasize that, if widely used, the rings might have a colossal impact.
“With rings, even the stigma associated with women who request prevention methods will have been eliminated,” claims Jeckoniah.
Preliminary study results have already highlighted the potential effectiveness.
According to a recent mathematical model of the Thembisa HIV epidemic in South Africa, there would be fewer new HIV infections in 2022. Part of this decrease can be ascribed to the use of vaginal rings.
