South African Press Association (Johannesburg) - April 8, 2002

Speaking during a tour of USAid projects in the Cape Town area, Congressman Jim Kolbe, chair of the appropriations subcomittee with oversight over foreign operations, said USAid was currently pumping some US54-million into South Africa.

A significant portion of this goes into Aids programmes, including initiatives that deal with aspects of mother-to-child transmission.

Kolbe, whose subcommittee decides what money should go where, said there had been a request for this amount to be boosted to US62-million next year.

Asked if the South African government's controversial stance on HIV/Aids might affect any decision his committee took, he said: "Speaking as an individual here, not for the United States government but as an individual who is responsible for funding these programs, my estimate would be today, no, it is not going to affect it."

He said this was because South Africa had a well-developed sector outside national government, including private health foundations, NGOs, clinics, hospitals and provincial governments, that had the will to deal with the problem.

"So we are in South Africa simply working around the lack of leadership at the central government level to make sure that we're dealing with the Aids problem. "The money is getting there, the programs are there.

"It is tragic that we have such a lack of leadership on the part of central government to deal with this problem, but we are getting services to where it is needed."

Kolbe said that if there was a "simple commitment" from central government to make nevirapine available to women, with a sum of US30-million, the Aids mortality rate for infants could be halved.

"It is very sad and I'm very discouraged to see that the government has decided to appeal the decision of the Supreme Court (High Court) here to allow the distribution of nevirapine.

"They have not been able to demonstrate one bit of evidence that shows it is not a safe drug.

"And when you're looking at the alternative, which is certain death, it strikes me as common sense to make this drug available: it's being used widely everywhere else."

"It is a tragedy of unspeakable magnitude."

He said he did not understand President Thabo Mbeki's position on HIV/Aids. Mbeki was seen in the United States as a "conflicted" and puzzling figure. "There is no doubt he is a brilliant individual, probably one of the most intellectually brilliant people that has ever been a leader in Africa. He is a person that should know better that to say the kind of things he has said about HIV/Aids.

"That's why it is puzzling to us."

Cape Town was the last stop of an African trip that took Kolbe and a bipartisan delegation of four other congressmen and women from his subcommittee to Mali, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Swaziland.

He said Africa could look forward to a share of the US5-billion Millennium Fund for development announced last month by US President George Bush.

However, there would be a set of "pretty tough criteria", not spelled out yet but which would include good governance and the ability to use the money to generate growth, attached to the fund.

It was safe to say that Zimbabwe was the classic example of a country that would not qualify for money from the fund.

"Swaziland, probably not at this time. But I'm not going to make a judgement on this until we know what the criteria are."

There was a proposal by some African states that Africans themselves decide who should be in line for the funding, but this would not be acceptable to the American government or taxpayer.

USAid, the United States Agency for International Development, says it is the world's leader in providing funding to fight the international HIV/AIDS pandemic.

It says that since 1986, it has provided US2,2-billion for prevention, care and treatment programs in over 50 countries around the world.
020408
SA020408

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .