DURBAN, South Africa, Aug 6 (AFP) - An HIV-positive woman tearfully related to an AIDS conference here Wednesday how she wanted to fall pregnant, but was prevented from doing so by the government's refusal to provide anti-AIDS drugs.

"This is not a political game, we are suffering, we are angry, we want access to treatment now," Prudence Mabele told some 4,000 delegates at the closing of a four-day AIDS symposium in the east coast city of Durban.

"I want to have a baby, but I can only do it when (antiretroviral drug) nevirapine is available," she said.

The South African government has come under fire the past four days for its hesitancy to roll out a national treatment programme.

Meanwhile the Medicines Control Council has threatened to ban nevirapine, used in reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV -- despite UN agencies endorsing the use of the drug.

"Ask any woman who is HIV-positive and pregnant and they will tell you that if there is even a two percent chance of saving their baby, they will take it.

"Research has shown that nevirapine reduces infections to babies by 50 percent," an emotional Mabele said before receiving a standing ovation.

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