South Africa Ends AIDS Denial
News: South African government ends Aids denial
By: Andrew Meldrum
Source: The Guardian (UK)
Date: Saturday 28th October 2006
Online at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,,1933873,00.html
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THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT YESTERDAY ANNOUNCED A DRAMATIC REVERSAL of
its approach to the country's Aids crisis, promising increased
availability of drugs and endorsing the efforts of civic groups battling
the disease.
"We must take our fight against Aids to a much higher level," the deputy
president, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, told a conference of Aids activists,
who until recently had been ignored and even denounced by the government.
"We must tighten up so that ARV [antiretroviral] drugs are more
accessible, especially to the poor. Education and prevention of HIV
infection must be scaled up. Our people want us to unite on this issue in
the best interests of the health and wellbeing of our nation. Working
together we can defeat this disease," she said to cheers from a crowd of
health professionals, church leaders and labour officials.
Experts said the government's policy change could save thousands of lives.
An estimated 5.4 million of South Africa's 47 million people are infected
with HIV, one of the highest ratios in the world. "This is a sea change,"
said Mark Heywood, director of the Aids Law Project. "We're not across
the
ocean yet, but now the government is sailing in the right direction."
Activists fought a prolonged legal battle that forced president Thabo
Mbeki's government to distribute the life-saving ARV drugs through the
public health services. "The government is finally acknowledging that Aids
is a serious national problem and is taking a scientific approach to
tackling it. It's long overdue, but it is worth celebrating," said a senior
doctor working in a government hospital.
Mr Mbeki had questioned that Aids was caused by HIV and said it was not
certain that ARV drugs were safe and effective. He denied knowing anyone
who had died of Aids, despite several prominent South Africans succumbing.
After a 2003 court ruling, the government reluctantly rolled out a public
programme to make ARV drugs available to people with Aids. About 200,000
people receive the government drugs, making the public programme one of
the biggest in the world. But they are reaching just one quarter of the
estimated 800,000 in need.
Confusion over what is effective Aids treatment was spread by the health
minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang who adamantly promoted a diet of
beetroot, lemons and garlic as an alternative treatment. At the Toronto
Aids conference in August, she sparked an uproar with a South African
government display of the fruits and vegetables but no ARV drugs.
The South African government's position on Aids was denounced as "wrong,
immoral and indefensible" by the UN's top official on Aids, Stephen Lewis.
President Mbeki has been silent on Aids issues recently and has not sacked
Ms Tshabalala-Msimang as demanded by international and domestic Aids
campaigners. But significantly, the president marginalised the health
minister by making his deputy president the head of an Aids taskforce and
it appears he authorised her to change government policies.
In recent weeks the soft-spoken but savvy Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka had
signalled the change by meeting privately with Aids specialists whom the
government had previously refused to consult. She has accepted that Aids
is caused by HIV and emphasised that ARV drugs are central to fighting the
disease.
A month ago, Aids activist Zackie Achmat and 40 members of the Treatment
Action Campaign were arrested for demonstrating in government offices for
the sacking of Ms Tshabalala-Msimang.
Yesterday Mr Achmat, in his trademark "HIV Positive" T-shirt, walked arm
in arm with the deputy president and was kissed and hugged by other top
officials. "This is a serious, significant change. The government wants to
work with us, not against us," he said.
"By increasing the availability of drugs, particularly for preventing
mother to child transmission, the government is going to save lives."
MBEKI'S U-TURN
Several factors convinced the South African president, Thabo Mbeki, to
change his policies. Official statistics show an alarming rise in deaths
among South Africans in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Supporters of the ruling
African National Congress (ANC) such as trade unions have criticised his
policies and the resulting shortages of antiretroviral drugs. Civic groups
were joined by 81 leading scientists in demanding the sacking of the
health minister who suggested eating beetroot as a cure. And South Africa
has fallen behind its neighbours in cutting the infection rate.
4 Comments:
Well done Phumzile, South Africa deserves a clear crisp message on HIV/AIDS.
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