Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association - September 26, 2005
The ministry's reaction follows an address by Vavi in Cape Town on Sunday at the Treatment Action Campaign's (TAC) national congress, where he accused the government of a "lack of leadership" when it comes to managing HIV.
According to media reports, Vavi said the causes of the epidemic could be traced to public health-policy failures.
"Ultimately, these failures start with a failure of a leadership, beginning with the Presidency and the ministry of health.
"Any health ministry that presides over the spread of an epidemic like this has much to answer for. This lack of government leadership on HIV is a betrayal of our people and our struggle," he told the congress.
In a statement on Monday, the health ministry rejected Vavi's remarks, saying they demonstrated a "high level of ignorance on the part of the Cosatu leader about the challenge of HIV and Aids in the country and the government response to this challenge".
It said Vavi has "abdicated his responsibility" and allowed Cosatu's policy positions to be driven by the TAC, an anti-retroviral drug lobby group.
"Before making irresponsible public statements on HIV and Aids, Vavi needs to first get his facts straight.
"People on treatment are not 10 000 as reported ... By June 2005, more than 61 000 were already initiated on anti-retroviral treatment in the public health sector.
"There are now 178 public health facilities providing HIV- and Aids-related services, including anti-retroviral drugs. These facilities are spread across all the 53 districts in the country and cover at least 60% of local municipalities," the ministry said.
More than R3,4-billion had been set aside solely for the procurement of anti-retroviral drugs for the period up to the end of 2007.
The ministry said it would like an opportunity to present to Cosatu members details of its Comprehensive Plan for the Management, Care and Treatment of HIV and Aids.
"The workers should be allowed to make their own conclusions on the implementation of government programmes. They should not be made to endorse the positions of a lobby group that has a narrow view of the enormous social challenges facing their democratically elected government," it said.
At the TAC national congress on Sunday, Vavi listed the government's main failures on HIV and Aids as a lack of comprehensive education campaigns and sex education in schools, a public health system that does not adequately treat sufferers, and underfunding and poor management of the public health sector.
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