AEGiS-NV: Mbeki Wrong On HIV

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Mbeki Wrong On HIV

The New Vision (Uganda) - Thursday, May 25, 2000

Kampala (New Vision, May 25, 2000) - President THABO Mbeki of South Africa is presently on a state visit to the USA. He has come under fire for not being more critical of President Mugabe's support for the invasion of white-owned farms but it is on the issue of Aids that the United States should exercise the maximum pressure.

The rates of HIV infection are soaring in southern Africa. In Zambia, up to 50 per cent of the urban population may be infected. South Africa is not far behind.

Unfortunately, Mbeki has fallen into the clutches of two maverick American scientists who argue that there is no connection between HIV and Aids. They say that HIV is solely due to drug abuse and poverty.

In Uganda, we went through these arguments years ago. Now we simply accept that HIV is mostly transmitted sexually and eventually causes Aids. We no longer get bogged down with issues of where HIV came from or who is responsible.

Uganda has concentrated on a public information campaign promoting the use of condoms and encouraging people to go for voluntary testing to discover their sero-status. As a result, rates of infection among sexually active adults in Kampala have dropped from around 35 per cent to just over 10 per cent.

Mbeki argues that we should not stifle intellectual dissent. It is important to be open-minded but Mbeki should not give equal weight to the views of two mavericks against the vast mass of research by the international medical community into HIV and Aids.

Mbeki should accept the reality of HIV and Aids as Uganda has done. He should intensify public education in South Africa and encourage voluntary testing.

Then there is a chance of arresting the onset of the epidemic in Africa's largest economy. Otherwise he risks being responsible for the deaths of many innocent South Africans.

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