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Page 2 of 2 Editorial

Nevertheless, the clinic staff clinics and the project funders I have left you with another 55 articles to explore in the days
-overseas and local (SA government) – managed to reduce the ahead. Many of these can stand with the best in the field.
mother-to-child transmission rate at 6 weeks of life from 7.0% in Take a look at this year’s volume.
2007 to < 1.6% in 2013-2015, p < 0.001. The report is astonishing.
The South Africa of recent decades has not been easy to live in This year marks the 20th anniversary of the ‘birth’ of the
particularly for the poor. More so for those living with HIV. The 10
authors acknowledge limitations to their work. These do not Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine. It was the brainchild
detract from the body of the work or lessen its impact. of the then president-elect of the Society, Prof. Des Martin,
and others on the executive committee. We published the
Prof. Bekker’s ‘safe, easy and effective use of PrEP’ paper first issue to coincide with the 13th International HIV
comes on the heels of data confirming the superior efficacy of Conference in Durban (SA) in July of 2000. The first journal is
two-monthly injections of cabotegravir as against oral long- a brief read but provided colleagues and the South African
term PrEP in 3223 African women (Study HPTN 084) and nation with its first ever ‘national’ antiretroviral (ART)
men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women guideline. Thank you, Des. Thank you, colleagues. We have
(Study HPTN 083). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/ come a long way since then. The lives of thousands have
NCT03164564. (HTPN 084), https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/ been rescued. Words cannot measure the success.
show/NCT02720094. (HTPN 083).
References
Human immunodeficiency virus prevention is of critical
importance to South Africa (SA). The current population of 1. Nel J, Dlamini S, Meintjes G, et al. South African HIV Clinicians’ Society guidelines
SA is ± 59.62 million; ± 7.8 million are PLWH and ± 18.7% of for antiretroviral therapy in adults: 2020 update. S Afr J HIV Med. 2020;21(1):a1115.
https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v21i1.1115
our 15–49-year-olds are living with HIV. I recommend this PrEP 2. Nel JS, Conradie F, Botha J, et al. Southern African Clinicians’ Society guidelines for
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guideline to every healthcare worker. These numbers demand solid-organ transplantation in human immunodeficiency virus: An evidence-based
framework for human immunodeficiency virus-positive donors and recipients.
action. Although only oral PrEP is available in SA at this time, S Afr J HIV Med. 2020;21(1):a1133. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v21i1.1133
injectables will come. We need to get young people in particular 3. Wessels J, Sherman G, Bamford L, et al. The updated South African National
Guideline for the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of Communicable
thinking new thoughts about their sexual health. A companion Infections (2019). S Afr J HIV Med. 2020;21(1):a1079. https://doi.org/10.4102/
article speaks to the ethics and legalities of adolescent PrEP. sajhivmed.v21i1.1079
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This is particularly helpful for family physicians and parents 4. Bekker L-G, Brown B, Joseph-Davey D, et al. Southern African Guideline on the
safe, easy and effective use of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): 2020. S Afr J HIV
who wish to protect sexually active children. Med. 2020;21(1):a1152. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v21i1.1152
5. Mnyani CN, Tait CL, Peters RPH, et al. Implementation of a PMTCT programme in
a high HIV prevalence setting in Johannesburg, South Africa: 2002–2015. S Afr J
The fifth guideline has broad application in sub-Saharan HIV Med. 2020;21(1), a1024. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v21i1.1024
Africa. The Southern African HIV Clinicians’ Society guideline 6. Diego I, Munthree C. South African mid-year population estimates [homepage on
the Internet]. 2020 [2020 Nov 20]. Available from: www.statssa.gov.za
for harm reduction focuses on drug addiction in PLWH. Justice 7. Strode A, Slack CM, Essack Z, Toohey JD, Bekker L-G. Be legally wise: When is
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Edwin Cameron provides a wise and considered response. parental consent required for adolescents’ access to pre-exposure prophylaxis
Please read it. The guideline is long but comprehensive. The (PrEP)? S Afr J HIV Med. 2020;21(1):a1129. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.
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v21i1.1129
writers are experts in the field. Throughout, a human rights 8. Scheibe AP, Sibeko G, Shelly S, et al. Southern African HIV Clinicians’ Society
understanding is followed and a compassionate yet evidence- guideline for harm reduction. S Afr J HIV Med. 2020;21(1):a1161. https://doi.
org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v21i1.1161
based approach to illicit drug use is outlined. Addiction is 9. Cameron E. Introduction to the Southern African HIV Clinicians’ Society harm-
increasing in Africa. Many also live with HIV. New thoughts reduction guideline. S Afr J HIV Med. 2020;21(1):a1179. https://doi/org/10.4102/
and new approaches are needed. This is a timely but sober sajhivmed.v21.i1.1179
read. If you care for your patients, do not sidestep the issue. 10. Martin D. Editorial. S Afr J HIV Med. 2000;1(1):a489. https://doi.org/10.4102/
sajhivmed.v1i1.489

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