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| Anti-Retroviral Drugs |
Human Immunodeficiency Virus-HIV that
causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first clinically discovered
in 1981 in United States and since then it has claimed several lives. There are
currently 34.2 million people around the world that live with the virus
according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The origin of HIV has been shrouded in a
lot of mysteries. There are several conspiracy theories that have come up to
try and explain how the virus came to being however, none of them has been
proven. One of the theories alleges that the virus was actually manufactured in
a lab by scientists from the colonists. According to this school of thought,
the aim of the colonists was to wipe out clean inhabitants of Africa so that
they could take over the resources. Perhaps that may explain the high rates of
infection in the African continent as compared with other continents. However,
no evidence has been produced to support the claims. The other theory suggests
that the virus might have come from Chimps and significant research has been
done to prove this-actually there is a resemblance between Simian Immunodeficiency
Virus (SIV) found in Chimpanzees and HIV.
The search for HIV/AIDS cure has been
ongoing since the first case of infection was discovered. Scientists around the
world have been cracking their heads to find the cure to this virus. After
years of intensive research, 1987, the first Anti-Retroviral drug was produced,
AZT debuts. This was a major breakthrough in medical research given that the
patients died within a relatively shorter time. The Anti-Retroviral Drug
restrains the growth and reproduction of HIV hence extending the lifetime of
the patient. However, the drug remains above the reach of the poor who are the
majority. The drug costs about $159 or Ksh.13, 356 per person per year.
Since the discovery of Anti-Retroviral
drugs, cure is yet to be found, at least on record. However in 2011 renowned
scientist Prof. Arthur Obel claimed he could cure the virus with his drug
christened ‘Pearl Omega’ but he refused to reveal the formula. The
controversial professor was quickly ruled out with the authorities saying that
he was causing anxiety and false hope among the public. That maybe true but he
was not given a chance to defend his claim.
Prof. Obel might be one among many
others who have claimed to have found a cure but were silenced before even
given the platform to prove their claims. This brings one pertinent question;
is there will to find the cure? Have people conspired to ensure the cure
remains a mirage while continuing raking in millions of shillings in the
production of ARV’s?
HIV/AIDS has transformed from a pandemic
to a very profitable sub-sector in the health industry. Come to think of it,
how many people have secured employment since the discovery of the first
infection? Medical research centers have been set up across the world in a bid
to find the ‘cure’ and as such received grants courtesy of HIV/AIDS.
Pharmaceutical companies are perhaps the largest beneficiaries as they sell
ARV’s for millions of patients, condoms for protection, test kits and on top of
that receive research grants.
Funds have been set up to support fight
against HIV/AIDS especially in less developed countries who are the biggest
casualties. Closer home, Non-Governmental Organizations-NGOs have mushroomed
everywhere purportedly addressing various issues in the fight against AIDS.
Some have gone ahead to set up ghost NGO’s who receive grants for the campaigns
while others exist but disappear after receiving the grant.
AIDS has sadly become a business venture
where individuals are profiteering at the expense of others. Nobody in the
entire HIV/AIDS Ltd is really interested in finding the cure since they will
significantly reduce their profit margin or lose out completely. The NGOs would
no longer be relevant, condom sales will drop, and jobs will be lost and
slashing of research grant among others. So they would rather maintain the
status-quo.
Some argue that HIV/AIDS is the disease prophesied in the bible that will have no cure though the bible does not out
rightly mention the disease. There are many non-curable diseases so we can’t
peg our argument on that. The disease maybe a man made and has been a
profitable venture since its advent. Expect no cure at least in the foreseeable
future as profit remains the bottom principle.
