We need to be sure this is practical and sustainable. Along with all the difficulties and dire predictions, there has also been progress. New vaccines are undergoing testing in clinical trials, and the South African government has committed to begin a pilot program aimed at decreasing transmission of HIV from mother to child. Boehringer-Ingelheim Corp., manufacturer of AIDS drug novaripine, has said it will give the drug free of charge for the pilot program. Abbott Pharmaceuticals also has pledged millions of dollars toward taking care of children orphaned by the epidemic.
Basic problems remain in that many countries lack simple health care infrastructure.
Doctors, nurses and other trained personnel are dying as well as patients. What we do need is the implementation of programs across the board. By caring for people and giving them hope, we can draw people in who are fearful. And as long as people are talking, there is reason to hope, agreed Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. That to me is the most important part of having a meeting here in South Africa.