Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - November 25, 2001
Lionel Adendorf
TAC says the national health minister and eight MECs (excluding the Western Cape health MEC) are "limiting access to an essential medicine, Nevirapine, to people who need it".
"Large numbers of infant HIV infection is a result of this attitude. The constitution guarantees access to health, but people are still being denied this basic right," Mark Haywood, national TAC chairperson, said.
He is confident they will be successful because the case is based on firm "legal and moral grounds".
In support of its court action, the TAC has organised demonstrations in all the major cities, night vigils in Cape Town and Pretoria and e-mail protests to the health ministry and the presidency.
Hundreds of protesters are expected to take part in the night vigils to be held at Pretoria's Church Square tonight where crosses will be displayed with the names of babies who died of Aids-related illnesses.
A similar vigil will take place in Cape Town in front of Parliament tomorrow evening.
"We have mobilised substantial support and we are also counting on the support of various NGOs and the sympathy of the major unions," Haywood said.
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