23 April 1984
On 23 April 1984 the discovery of a virus that may cause Acquired Immune deficiency Syndrome (Aids) the disease that destroys blood cells, leaving its victims open series to other diseases., is hailed as a "monumental breakthrough" in medical research. The development was announced in Washington by the United States of America Health Secretary, Margaret Heckler who suggested that the vaccine might be ready in two years time. The disease has caused a lot of damage in South Africa leaving large numbers of children orphans. The United Nations global report of 2008 on the HIV& Aids epidemic estimated that 5.7 million of South Africans were infected with the disease, including 3000 000 children under the age of 15 years. It has been revealed that at least 28 million of people worldwide had died from AIDS More than 20 years since HIV& Aids was first recognized there is still no cure for it, although the new generation of drugs has extended the life of those who are living with HIV.
References

BBC, 1984:Scientist finds Aids virus, from BBC News, 23 April, [online], Available at www.news.bbc.co.uk [Accessed: 09 April 2014]|SAHO, HIV/AIDS in South Africa, from South African History Online, [online], Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 09 April 2014]