Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association (Johannesburg) - January 2, 2003
Members of the National Association of People Living with HIV/Aids (Napwa) began a hunger strike on Christmas Day outside the Midrand offices of GlaxoSmithKline, the pharmaceutical company.
The original hunger strike ended at 10am on Tuesday, but three Napwa members began a second phase of the strike on Wednesday night.
Napwa is demanding: -- that anti-retroviral drugs be provided free of charge; -- that banks and insurance companies stop discriminating against HIV-positive people; and -- "uniformity" in the allocation of social grants by government.
Dr Maria Mabetoa, director of HIV/Aids in the Social Development Department, said on Thursday: "It is unfortunate that Napwa had to embark on a hunger strike when the process of addressing some of the legitimate issues they are raising was already underway. Part of the process includes extensive consultation with all the role players including NAPWA, in order to develop a comprehensive and sustainable programme of assistance for people with HIV/Aids."
Mabetoa hoped Napwa would "review their approach and work in partnership with us and all the role players."
Mabetoa said Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya had already noted the lack of uniformity with regard to assistance with grants for people with HIV/Aids and agreed with health MECs from all provinces late last year that this matter should be addressed as a matter of urgency.
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