South African Activists Against AIDS Notification

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

South African Activists Against AIDS Notification

Reuters (10/12/99)
Geduld, Shellee

Members of AIDS organizations do not want to make HIV a notifiable disease in South Africa because it could put patients at risk for discrimination and make them less likely to be treated. The groups said Tuesday that requiring people to inform their friends and families that they have HIV could keep women from reporting rapes, make them objects of hate and fear, and could make it more difficult to treat the disease. Zackie Achmat of the HIV and AIDS Treatment Action Campaign told parliament's health committee that everyone must work together to encourage acceptance and support of HIV and AIDS patients. The groups noted that taboos and women's generally low social status could also put women at risk if their families were told they had HIV.

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