Unlocking Hope: Advancing Towards an HIV Vaccine- Ft. Dr. Ishwar Gilada - Video

Published On 2024-04-15T11:34:37+05:30 | Updated On 15 April 2024 11:34 AM IST

Overview

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases and developing an HIV vaccine remains a global health priority. Although new treatment and prevention options have changed the HIV landscape for the better, an HIV vaccine is still needed to bring a true end to the HIV pandemic.

The Indian epidemic is concentrated among vulnerable populations at high risk for HIV. The concentrated epidemics are driven by unprotected sex between sex workers and their clients and by injecting drug use with contaminated injecting equipment. Several of the most at risk groups have high and still rising HIV prevalence rates. Recent data suggests there are signs of a decline in HIV prevalence among female sex workers in areas where focused interventions have been implemented, particularly in the southern states, although overall prevalence levels among other high risk group continues to be high.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues is Dr Ishwar Gilada, an HIV specialist having experience of 43 years, the President Emeritus of the AIDS Society of

India and Member Governing Council, International AIDS Society

Dr Gilada emphasizes the need for the development of HIV Vaccine and that more clinical trials and research is needed to support HIV vaccines. He further discusses the following-

1. It is a known fact that an early diagnosis of positive HIV status helps prevent and significantly delay morbid conditions associated with HIV/AIDS but Over 90% of those infected with the virus are not aware of their status.

2. How do researchers address the challenges of HIV's genetic diversity and ability to evade the immune system in developing a vaccine?

3. What role do public health policies and community engagement play in the successful implementation of an HIV vaccination program once a vaccine is developed?

4. Are there any promising clinical trials or research to support HIV vaccines, and what are the key findings or takeaways from these trials?

Speakers

Dr. Nandita Mohan

Dr. Nandita Mohan is a practicing pediatric dentist with more than 5 years of clinical work experience. Along with this, she is equally interested in keeping herself up to date about the latest developments in the field of medicine and dentistry which is the driving force for her to be in association with Medical Dialogues. She also has her name attached with many publications; both national and international. She has pursued her BDS from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore and later went to enter her dream specialty (MDS) in the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry from Pt. B.D. Sharma University of Health Sciences. Through all the years of experience, her core interest in learning something new has never stopped. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751

Dr Ishwar Gilada

The first person to raise the alarm against AIDS in India(1985), detect HIV infections in India (December 1985) and to start India?s first AIDS Clinic(1986) at the government-run JJ Hospital, Mumbai, Dr Ishwar Gilada is a globally acclaimed HIV expert, credited with bringing India on the AIDS control map of the world. He is the President, AIDS Society of India (ASI) and Secretary General, Peoples Health Organisation-India(PHO) and Governing Council member of International AIDS Society (H.Qs.Geneva). After medical school at Government Medical College, Aurangabad, he sub-specialized in Skin and STDs with an acclaimed dissertation: "Pattern of STDs among Hijras (transgenders)? (1986) that also fetched him Diplomate of American Board of Sexology. He then became the first Indian to receive HIV training at San Francisco General Hospital and University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey (1987). To tackle medico-social problems of the downtrodden, he established PHO, (formerly Indian Health Organization); the premier NGO that spearheaded India?s HIV awareness campaign and sensitized governments and people about the impending epidemic. PHO is acclaimed for its HIV intervention and projects for sex-workers (Saheli Project) and for PMTCT (PHO-Wadia model) were replicated at several places globally and been part of the UNAIDS Best Practices. The US-India Business Council named PHO the most outstanding Indian NGO(1997). OY Millennium Films, Finland featured his work in ?Saheli-a friend in need? that received Prix Italia 2001 Award. He has toiled hard for abolition of Devadasi system (cult-based prostitution) and controlling child prostitution in India from 1982 to 2000. He had initiated, supervised and evaluated 38 AIDS projects in 7 Indian states; worked as consultant for American Foundation for AIDS Research, World Vision International, USAID; evaluated Zambia's National STD/AIDS Control programme. Till date, he addressed over 3750 meetings and training programmes in India and in several high HIV burden African nations. He has 78 awards to his credit. The Junior Chamber International, USA conferred on him "The Outstanding Young Person of the World" award at Glasgow (1995). He was awarded the coveted Annemarie Madison International Award in Munich and was termed ?the Indian Machinegun against AIDS?(1999). Among several firsts, he started India's first comprehensive HIV clinic, Unison Medicare and Research Centre,Mumbai(1995), that manages more than 7000 patients. It was declared HIV care model for resource-poor settings at the 12th International AIDS Conference (IAC), Geneva and was replicated in India and Africa. He served as National AIDS Committee Joint Secretary(1995-1997), on AIDS Society in Asia and Pacific(ASAP) Governing Board(1992-1994), was AIDS Advisor for Goa and Uttar Pradesh states(1995-1999), and was on Global AIDS Policy Coalition and AIDS and Reproductive Health Network boards under Dr Jonathan Mann(1992-2000). He founded Asian Solidarity against AIDS-ASAA(1991), was its Secretary till 2004. From 1993-2008, he was Editor-Publisher of AIDS ASIA for ASAA, Asia?s first AIDS newsletter; which received the Best NGO Magazine award (1999, 2000, 2003) by the Association of Business Communicators of India. He is one of the founders and is Secretary General of Organized Medicine Academic Guild ? an apex body of professional medical organizations in India, established in 2018. One of his seminal contributions, in strengthening India?s AIDS response, in 38 years of professional career, is training thousands of students, doctors, nurses, social workers and counselors in HIV-care. He is one of the founders of AIDS Society of India; which is a professional body of HIV physicians and researchers in India, established on lines of International AIDS Society (IAS). He has published/presented 275 scientific papers globally including IACs from 1989 and International AIDS Society (IAS) Science conferences from 2001, Plenary at IAC-Amsterdam (1992), authored chapters on AIDS/STDs and sex-workers. He had organized and chaired World Congress on AIDS, Mumbai(1990), 12 national AIDS conferences in different cities of India and 11 satellite seminars at IACs. He has been IAS member since 1989 and elected to its Governing Council to represent Asia-Pacific in 2018 for four years. His bids were shortlisted for International AIDS Conferences twice (2013,2019) as he is trying hard to get one to India for the first time. He has championed the cause of HIV treatment access in ?patents versus patients? fight globally. Today India meets 92% of global requirements of HIV treatment. He has been great human rights activists in fighting stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV and marginalized communities. The first Goan HIV positive person Dominic D?souza who was incarcerated in isolation in 1989 was released and the Goa Public Health act 1985 was repealed as a result of Dr.Gilada?s initiatives.