Important note: Information in this article was accurate in January 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.afrol.com, 30 January - An estimated 5000 babies are born HIV positive a month in South Africa because their mothers pass the virus on to them at birth. Therefore, the South African government now has promised to provide free the anti-retroviral drug Nevirapine to all HIV-positive mothers in 18 public-sector hospitals.
The head of the South African HIV/AIDS Directorate, Dr Nono Simelela, told the news agency Sapa that women who test HIV-positive will be offered Neviparine as part of their ante-natal care at these 18 institutions. "This will be supported by follow-up care and counselling," said Simelela. The programme is expected to last about two years.
According to an article in the Mail and Guardian, free milk powder will also be given to pregnant women with HIV. This is to prevent the spreading of the virus to infants through breast milk.
Nevirapine is provided relativly cheaply in South Africa, being a generic AIDS drug. It costs around R25 per dose, has been shown to significantly decrease the chances of babies becoming HIV infected during birth. Two doses usually suffice.
Currently, hovewer, more than 40 international pharmaceutical companies are taking the South African Government to court to prevent the cheap importation and manufacture of this and other generic AIDS drugs. The imports allegedly are illegal according to international laws recognised by South Africa, only legally sold in the country they are produced by special agreement with patent right holders. If the companies win their case, this could harm the new government initiative.
Meanwhile, the main South African trade union COSATU today stated that it welcomes the government's decision. "We believe that this is first stage of a comprehensive approach to prevent babies from being infected with HIV/AIDS," spokesperson Siphiwe Mgcina states. COSAUT had been calling for this for a year. "However we need to ensure that an overall approach, coupled with a comprehensive plan, ensures that it is implemented as a matter of urgency," says Mgcina.
The union is calling for the government "to ensure that there is a balance between rural and urban areas in the distribution of this anti-retroviral medication. All provincial health departments must engage with all the stake holders in finding the best way of ensuring that the programme is as effective as possible," says Mgcina.
- If the distribution of this anti-retroviral is to be effective, the health service infrastructure must be improved to ensure that there are accessible medical centres in every area where sufferers can obtain treatment, with well-trained health officials who are able to treat this epidemic with relevant sensitivity, he states. "Treatment of HIV mothers must be followed up by counseling to help sufferers face the future."
COSATU also argues that the Welfare Department needs to extent the child maintenance grant to all the thousand of Aids orphans who have no source of income, irrespective of age. "In conclusion the government must intensify its educational campaign and also popularise the programme of free anti-retroviral medication," says Mgcina.
Also the Pan Africanist Congress, which has consistently criticised the government for not providing Nevirapine to infected pregnant women, has applauded the new programme. "The testing of all pregnant mothers, free anti-retroviral (drugs) and the provision for free milk formula for the first six months for at-risk babies... (is) quite revolutionary," said spokesman Themba Godi.
In an earlier statement, COSATU has described the court case by the international pharmaceutical companies against the South African government on the impot of generic AIDS drugs as "a serious stumbling bloc to the transformation of the health care system." In the trade union's view, "it is also tantamount to profiteering at the expense of the health of the majority of South Africans who currently face prohibitively expensive cost of drugs."
The price of medicines in South Africa are amongst the highest in the world and are rising dramatically every year. Thus, the government and a wide range of South African organisations are devoting much effort to protect the cheap, allegedly illegal imports.
Source: Based on COSATU, Labourstart and afrol archives
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