We are well aware of the ‘skirmishing’ surrounding the provision of antire t roviral (ARV) drugs to HIV/AIDS patients in our hospitals. Postponement of meetings, delays in cabinet seeing the report of the task team evaluating the cost implications of using A RVs and looking at infrastructural and sustainability issues, statements by the Minister of Health and the Deputy President Jacob Zuma and the TAC, have fuelled a
constant stream of media reports. And still, as of the end of June, no finality has been reached despite promises from government.
Virginia van der Vliet, who has written widely on the South African AIDS epidemic assessed the situation in PulseTrack of 24 June:
‘After a meeting between the SANational Aids Council (SANAC) and the TAC, deputy president Jacob Zuma, SANAC chairperson, said: “Regarding the introduction of antiretrovirals in the public sector, it was noted that government is at an advanced stage of dealing with the Task Team Report on the Expanded Response to HIV/AIDS, with a view to making a decision as soon as possible.”’ He was not, however, prepared to give any dates. The TAC’s Zackie Achmat said he saw the meeting as ‘a breaking of the log-jam, and we hope the
government will act very urgently’. He added: ‘We really are giving the government its last opportunity.’
The authors of the South African Health Review 2002 ( w w w.hst.za/sahr/2002) released in March this year believe that universal access to such treatment will be an inevitable reality within the next 3 - 7 years. They warn that lack of capacity and operational weakness currently could undermine the health system’s ability to deliver basic care. A RVs must not be allowed to ‘steal’ re s o u rces from existing health interventions. Rather A RV programmes should serve as a catalyst to improve all health services especially in rural and remote areas.
Dr Kgosi Letlape, chairman of the SAMedical Association believes capacity exists to treat about 100 000 patients needing A RVs within 3 - 4 months. Although the task team report might ensure that finances for A RVs become available, he doubts whether there is the political will to follow through. ‘We
as South Africans still participate in a kind of genocide against ourselves. We are the only nation with a policy of not reatment.’ Perhaps Letlape is about to be proved wrong, says
Van der Vliet.
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