The Nairobi Declaration: An African Appeal for an HIV Vaccine

Pretoria, March 20th - 21st 2000

How does NGO get its government or community involved in HIV vaccine development when that government
or community has not yet acknowledged HIV/AIDS as a priority?
What does an effort for preventive HIV vaccine research mean for people with AIDS? Will money and effort be
diverted from treatment, care, and prevention? What is the right balance for an HIV vaccine effort in the context
of everything else that needs to be done to stop AIDS? Will research on new AIDS drugs decrease because of
HIV vaccine research?
Will HIV vaccine research and the possibility of an HIV vaccine harm the important gains NGOs have made so
far in advancing condom use and community consensus for safer sex and HIV prevention? How could NGOs
reduce negative effects?
What are the potential benefits and risks of HIV vaccine trials and HIV vaccines in Africa? Examples of
research abuse such as Tuskeegee, and the fears about diseases being spread through the polio vaccine and other
vaccines, all need to be addressed. NGOs need more accurate information about research: that is the "truth".
What is the "truth" about this HIV vaccine research?
The stigma of being identified as "a carrier of HIV" is very high in our countries. Will HIV vaccine trials be
able to protect people who test HIV+ when they are screened for the trial? Will volunteers face discrimination?
Is there any danger of people becoming HIV-infected because of these vaccines?
What is the process of HIV vaccine research, and when will a vaccine be available?
What were the obstacles and challenges encountered by the trial in Uganda and by other vaccine trials?
Integration and Involvement
How do NGOs integrate HIV vaccine information and efforts into our other efforts for prevention and treatment
and care?
How do NGOs get involved in the Vaccine development process and develop a strong African advocacy voice?
Who are the African vaccine researchers? Who is involved in HIV vaccine research in Africa?
What is the role of NGOs in HIV vaccine research? How do NGOs get involved from the beginning, and not
just when clinical trials need political and community support?
What is the role of NGOs in creating a bridge between researchers and the community?
How do NGOs involve all stakeholders in the research process?
Given that HIV vaccine research will take more than 10 years, how do NGOs maintain interest and capacity to
be involved over the long term?
What are pharmaceutical companies doing to develop HIV vaccines, and what can African NGOs do to get
companies to do more? Are companies reluctant to develop HIV vaccines because they want people to get
infected and buy their drugs?
Communication
How do NGOs communicate with each other about what is happening across Africa with regards to HIV vaccine
research and other research?
How should information about HIV vaccines be incorporated into existing IEC (information, education,
counselling) messages and other NGO communication?
How do NGOs educate the media about HIV vaccine research?

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AfriCASO - WHO/UNAIDS Vaccine Team Collaborative Process