SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS activists shout down health minister

JOHANNESBURG, 25 March (PLUSNEWS) - South African AIDS activists continued a civil disobedience campaign on Tuesday by shouting down Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang as she tried to address a conference.

Blowing whistles, waving red "wanted" posters and shouting "Murderer" and "Manto go to jail", some 100 members of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) drowned out Tshabalala-Msimang as she tried to make herself heard at a public health conference in Cape Town.

The protest was part of the lobby group's "Dying for Treatment" campaign, to urge the government to commit to a national HIV/AIDS treatment plan, including public funding for antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.

"We would prefer not to act in this way, but our government has left us no choice," TAC National Manager Nathan Geffen told PLusNews.

Tshabalala-Msimang was able to go on with her speech - flanked by police - only after TAC members read a statement accusing her of responsibility for AIDS-related deaths. "That is democracy in South Africa," she was reported as saying as she resumed her address.

Last week, TAC laid a charge of "culpable homicide" against Tshabalala-Msimang and Minister of Trade and Industry Alec Erwin over what it claimed were 600 AIDS-related deaths in the country every day.

The minister of health has frequently been at odds with the country's AIDS activists over the government's refusal to provide ARVs to all HIV-positive South Africans.

"Our patience with the government is exhausted after four years of lobbying, but we will continue this assault until the government commits itself to a treatment plan for all," Geffen said.

But the government still maintains that the "cost of antiretroviral drugs remains high and the cost of essential
tests to monitor those on therapy is also considerable."

According to a government statement on its HIV/AIDS policy, a joint technical team from the Department of Health and National Treasury was asked to look into the resource implications of various AIDS treatment options, including ARVs.

"The work of the team is nearing completion, and cabinet will be considering the findings," the statement added.

[ENDS]

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