SOUTH AFRICA: Boost for local AIDS research

A government initiative to boost local HIV-Aids research was launched in South Africa last week amid concerns about dwindling international funding for health research, reports PlusNews. South Africa has the highest burden of HIV infections in the world, and has become an important centre for AIDS research.

The South African HIV/Aids Research (and Innovation) Platform, SHARP, with backing from the Department of Science and Technology, will support the development of new treatment options and prevention approaches such as microbicides, vaccines and the role of genetics in controlling HIV infection.

Besides funding research projects, SHARP will aim to attract donations from national and international sources to build the capacity of young researchers in the HIV-Aids field, facilitate the sale of products that result from research projects, and implement systems for sharing knowledge and protecting intellectual property.
Full report on the IRIN News site