Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - August 10, 2003
It was a decision that was long in coming and the announcement was a little disingenuous in its claim that "government shares the impatience of many South Africans on the need to strengthen the nation's armoury in the fight against Aids".
The government has, in truth, been tardy to the point where its capacity to take rational policy decisions on Aids has been called into question.
It has dithered and, in so doing, contributed to the polarisation of the public debate on Aids treatment. Statements by Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and by Aids activists have made it seem as if there is a stark choice between antiretroviral treatment and using nutrition and education in the Aids fight.
All of that should now be water under the bridge.
Tshabalala-Msimang earlier this week issued what was, by her standards, a conciliatory statement. She said Aids drugs "can help improve the condition of people living with Aids".
Then, on Thursday, the government ended 18 bizarre months of cynical paper-shuffling and signed an agreement with the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria, which will release $41-million to fight the disease.
The motives for the government's sudden change of heart remain unclear. It could be, as its officials would like us to believe, that it has approached the matter with scientific and fiscal rigour.
Or, to take a less sympathetic view, it could be that the prospect of fighting an election in KwaZulu-Natal without a proper Aids strategy raised the hair on the backs of the ruling party's pollsters.
That is no longer of consequence. What matters now is that the nation is united behind a common strategy to fight this pandemic that threatens our future and haunts our families with unnecessary tragedy.
Already Aids drug lobbyists have done the right thing and celebrated the decision without rancour.
The Treatment Action Campaign's Mark Heywood put it well: "The challenge will be to have a serious plan ready in a month and we have committed ourselves to assist in this and in its implementation."
The next step is for the Health Department to meet the deadline set by the Cabinet. Instead of seeking further obstacles to the rollout of a comprehensive treatment, education and nutrition plan, it must show it is actively seeking solutions. These solutions must be sought in consultation with those who represent people with Aids, and they must be made to work.
Our nation has been damaged by the government's embarrassing failure to confront the Aids epidemic with the resources and political will needed to make a difference.
Now that it has seen the light, we can begin to restore our depleted national pride.
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