Nairobi — Encouraging results from tests on an HIV-Aids vaccine in Thailand are being seen as a good sign.

For the first time, an experimental vaccine has been shown to cut the risk of infection, albeit by only a third. It should encourage further research to get an effective vaccine.

Kenya was a pioneer in the development and testing of drugs designed to prevent HIV-Aids infections. While initial trials on the vaccines were disappointing, important research continues. The results from Thailand will no doubt be keenly studied by the teams in Kenya working on HIV-Aids vaccines.

It is important to continue pointing out, however, that the development of drugs to prevent, cure, contain, and prevent the transmission of HIV-Aids must never be a substitute for prevention.

HIV-Aids is largely a sexually-transmitted disease and the message must never be lost that the first line of defence remains responsible sexual behaviour.

In any case, the Thai research findings are on the Asian strain and its effect, if any, on the strain killing Kenyans is unknown.

In the past few years, for instance, major strides have been recorded in the development of drugs that allow HIV-Aids victims to live a nearly normal life.

This, in some cases, has led to a lowering of the guard as people begin to think that the condition is no longer the certain killer it used to be.

In Kenya, for instance, it remains worrying that the rate of new infections remains pretty high despite massive public awareness campaigns, and the fact nearly everybody knows that HIV-Aids largely spreads through irresponsible sex.

It is also worrying that the increased prevalence rates are being recorded in rural areas away from the traditional HIV-Aids hotspots in the teeming towns.

By all means, the search for HIV-Aids vaccines and treatments must be relentlessly pursued, but not at the expense of public education campaigns.