Claim: A viral video featuring Nigerian social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VDM, claims that South Africa has successfully developed a cure for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Verdict: False! South Africa has not developed a cure for HIV. The video showing VDM commending South Africa is a deepfake.
Full Text
On June 5, 2026, a Facebook page, NG Advert Media Worldwide, posted a video featuring Nigerian social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), claiming South Africa has developed a cure for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The clip portrayed VeryDarkMan, who has a large social media following in Nigeria, celebrating South Africa and congratulating HIV-positive patients over the supposed breakthrough.
“The news says South Africa has successfully developed a cure for HIV/AIDS. This is a big one. First of all, shout out to South Africa. This is a huge win for South Africa and the whole of Africa…I really hope that this drug will be affordable…,” the transcription read in part.
The 56-second footage was overlaid with the caption: “South Africa Has Successfully Developed A Cure For HIV.”
Beneath the caption is a black bar asking users to call a mobile number (+234-7034-469-520).
A survey of the comment section showed the Facebook page promoting a drug, Gammora, as a permanent cure for HIV.
Users were asked to call or send a WhatsApp message to an individual named Doctor Solomon through some private phone numbers to order the supposed permanent HIV cure drug.
While several social media users reacting to the post celebrated the supposed feat and expressed interest in the drug, others were curious about its authenticity.
A Facebook user, Nwaokoro Cajethan, wrote, “Congrats to South Africa for attaining this enviable feat. Now, those living with HIV/Aids will descend their breath as help has come. Una try ooo.”
Another user, Amaka Joseph, asked, “Hi… How can someone get it in Nigeria?”
Similarly, Vanessa Gold commented, “Where can I get it, VDM”
Emmanuel Anigor, however, questioned its authenticity. He wrote, “Could this be true?”
Because HIV/AIDS is a public health issue and the personality involved, DUBAWA conducted this fact-check.
Verification
A keyword search found versions of the claim circulating as early as 2025 on Facebook here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
DUBAWA searched VDM’s verified social media platforms on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. While VDM had once posted a video to create awareness about HIV, none of the verified accounts contained the viral video.
South Africa has one of the world’s largest antiretroviral treatment programmes. The country’s government recently launched Lenacapavir as an HIV prevention medication. While South African researchers are contributing to HIV vaccine research, no credible record shows that a cure has been produced.
We found no official announcement from the South African Department of Health, the South African Medical Research Council, or the National Institute for Communicable Diseases confirming that South Africa has developed an HIV cure.
Deepfake video, unregistered drug sales
We uploaded the video link to Deepware Scanner, an AI-video detection tool, for analysis. The tool flagged the video as a deepfake. The result showed that the video contains 57 per cent suspicious content and 99 per cent deepfake detection.
Analysis of the video on Hive Moderation, another AI-video detection tool, indicates 11.1 per cent likely deepfake content and 61.6 per cent AI-generated speech.
What is Gammora?
Seeing that the Facebook page used the video to promote a drug called Gammora as a permanent cure for HIV, DUBAWA looked it up.
Gammora is a synthetic peptide drug developed by Zion Medical, an Israeli biotech company. While the company originally developed Gammora, Code Pharma, a pharmaceutical company, later took over its clinical development.
Zion Medical, through a news release in 2018, claimed that Gammora can eliminate HIV-infected cells without harming normal cells.
According to the release, the company also claimed that “up to 99% of the HIV virus” was eliminated in 4 weeks of the Gammora trial on nine (9) HIV-infected patients in Uganda. However, this has not been validated by peer-reviewed clinical evidence.
A 2018 publication by Aidsmap, a United Kingdom-based HIV charity, stated that Gammora does not cure HIV. Also, Treatment Action Group and an independent fact-checking organisation, Africa Check, have debunked the claim that Gammora cures HIV.
Despite its clinical claims, the Gammora trial was not found in reputable or peer-reviewed scientific journals, like The Lancet or the New England Journal of Medicine, including in Uganda, where the trial was partly tested.
Gammora is not recognised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
DUBAWA checked the Green Book of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to verify the product registration in Nigeria. The result shows that the drug is not registered with NAFDAC.
We further looked up the number attached to the claim (+234-7034-469-520). We traced the number through Truecaller to a Pastor Solomon.
DUBAWA found no evidence linking the number to the South African government or any recognised HIV treatment programme or licensed medical institutions in the country.
Malawi’s National AIDS Commission (NAC), in a statement on July 11, 2024, also revealed the prosecution of individuals using Gammora to advertise false gentamicin injections as an HIV cure. According to NAC, persons with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) are being deceived into stopping their treatment for a false impression of a permanent HIV cure, which may result in drug resistance or potential death.
Is there a cure for HIV?
We checked the latest reports from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and found no clinically proven drug attributed to South Africa or any other country as a cure for HIV.
While there have been a few isolated HIV remissions after stem-cell transplants, including the Berlin patient and the London patient, WHO and UNAIDS still maintain there is no widely available cure.
According to the WHO, Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is one of the ways to prevent the risk of HIV. UNAIDS, in response to frequently asked questions, stated that there is no cure for HIV.
Similarly, a publication by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) maintained that antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the treatment for HIV infection. However, the report clearly stated that ART drugs do not eliminate HIV but only prevent it from multiplying or destroying protective body cells.
Conclusion
The video of VeryDarkMan claiming South Africa has developed a cure for HIV is a deepfake. South Africa has not developed an HIV cure, as of the time of this report. Medical authorities and publications show that while HIV can be prevented or managed, there is currently no proven medical cure for it.