20 February 2002
The South African Communist Party (SACP) is disappointed and dismayed by the statement by the Minister of Health, Comrade Manto Tshabalala-Msimang criticising the decision of the Gauteng Provincial Government to roll out the provision of Nevirapine and related infrastructure to all public hospitals in the province.
The Minister's statement reflects, once more, the hesitancy, prevarication and lack of decisive leadership on the part of government on HIV/AIDS in general and the prevention of mother-to-child-transmission in particular.
The Minister's statement is inconsistent with the report and commitments she made to the SACP Central Committee (CC) meeting held this past weekend. The SACP CC understood that government is using the 18 pilot projects to research the provision of Nevirapine, its efficacy and related capacity and resource issues which must be addressed with a view that provinces which are ready must start with the provision of Nevirapine. Indeed, the SACP CC underlined the fact that the existing resource and capacity constraints must not be seen as obstacles but as challenges to be overcome within a reasonable period.
Given the impact of HIV/AIDS, South Africa cannot afford this kind of prevarication. Our people and communities expect decisive leadership and action on HIV/AIDS from our government and the ANC-SACP-COSATU Alliance as a whole. It is time that the ANC-SACP-COSATU alliance has a full discussion on HIV/AIDS in order to ensure that the programme of government and the alliance on HIV/AIDS is adequate. As the SACP we believe that such a programme must be based on a comprehensive response which dynamically links education, prevention, care, access to information and services, affordable treatment and the building of an efficient public health system.
CONTACT
Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information and Publicity
South African Communist Party
Tel - 011 339 3621
Fax - 011 339 4244
Cell - 073 1777 066
Email - sacp1@wn.apc.org