South Africa has begun the first‑ever human trials of a locally developed HIV vaccine, marking a landmark moment in global health and a potential turning point in the decades-long fight against HIV and AIDS.
The trial, launched in Cape Town at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation based at Groote Schuur Hospital, is the first human HIV vaccine study designed and led entirely by African scientists.
Twenty HIV‑negative volunteers have already been enrolled to help researchers assess the vaccine’s safety and its ability to trigger an immune response.
The initiative is being driven by the South African Medical Research Council, the Wits Health Consortium and the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation under the BRILLIANT Consortium.
Health experts say the trial represents a major scientific and symbolic milestone for a continent that carries the heaviest burden of the epidemic.
South Africa remains the global epicentre of HIV, with an estimated eight million people living with the virus – more than any other country.
Sub‑Saharan Africa as a whole accounted for roughly 25.6 million cases in 2023.
While antiretroviral therapy has transformed HIV into a manageable chronic condition, the region continues to face high infection rates, unequal access to treatment, and persistent stigma.
The scale of the crisis has made the search for a vaccine urgent.
HIV has killed millions and continues to strain health systems worldwide.
More than 39 million people globally are currently living with the virus.
Glenda Grey of Wits University described the launch of the trial as a “critical step in the long journey toward an effective HIV vaccine,” noting that a successful candidate could dramatically reduce new infections and ease the long‑term financial and logistical pressures of lifelong treatment.
The World Health Organisation has praised African‑led vaccine research, arguing that local leadership ensures scientific relevance and strengthens global preparedness.
The breakthrough comes at a challenging moment for South Africa’s HIV response.
Recent cuts to the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) have disrupted prevention and treatment programmes, leading to clinic closures, job losses and concerns about rising infections.
Despite these setbacks, the launch of the vaccine trial signals renewed momentum.
If successful, it could reshape global prevention strategies and reinforce Africa’s role not only as the region most affected by HIV, but as a central driver of the scientific solutions needed to end it.
