United Press International - Wednesday, 27 June 2001
Kathy Gambrell, UPI Washington Reporter

Mbeki, the second person to hold the office of president in post-apartheid South Africa, explained to an audience of journalists, activists and lawmakers why he opted not to attend the United Nations AIDS summit held for three days this week in New York

"One cannot be in two places at the same time," said Mbeki, drawing chuckles from the National Press Club audience. Then becoming more serious, he said the meetings were for subministerial delegations.

Instead of attending the meeting, Mbeki met with Bush at the White House on Tuesday.

Mbeki said it was necessary to combat diseases such as AIDS because of their social and economic impact. He told Bush that diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis are not only caused by poverty, but also cause poverty and must be confronted as such.

The World Health Organization reports 36.1 million worldwide infected with HIV/AIDS. Of that number 34. 7 million are adults and 16.4 million are women. In sub-Saharan Africa, 25.3 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS, of which 55 percent are women. South Africa has 4.1 million people infected with HIV/AIDS, the largest population of people living with the disease. The first reported cases of HIV/AIDS emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s, according to WHO, which tracks the global prevalence and impact of disease.

Mbeki has also been criticized for his comments questioning the link between HIV and AIDS. Mbeki said Wednesday that in his country it is necessary to look at AIDS as part of a larger problem. The condition termed "immune deficiency," he said, is in all the medical textbooks but that more than one way exists for contracting the ailment. Mbeki has also questioned the need for HIV testing.

"There are a lot of ways to generate an acquired immune deficiency," Mbeki said, adding that poverty and malnutrition contribute to a weakened immune system. "I prefer a more comprehensive approach to infectious diseases. Good food, clean water are important to health."

Asked if he maintained his position that no link exists between HIV and AIDS, Mbeki said, "I don't know. I don't think my personal belief is relevant to scientific fact." He went on to say he was concerned about the affordability of retroviral drugs used to treat HIV/AIDS. An activist group has threatened to take Mbeki to court over his refusal to provide drug treatment for HIV-infected pregnant women.

Mbeki on Tuesday dismissed criticism that he was not doing enough to combat AIDS in South Africa, saying during his visit to the White House: "Well, all we have said -- all I would say to that really is that people must look at what we're doing in South Africa, not their perception of what they think we are doing, but what we are doing actually in the country," he said. "And I don't think on the basis of facts an accusation like that can be sustained."

The United States provided $200 million in seed money for a global AIDS fund to help the 36 million living with HIV/AIDS. Bush has proposed $480 million for AIDS programs in his 2002 federal budget proposal, twice the amount allotted in fiscal year 2000. He is also seeking an additional $3.4 billion for AIDS research.

Mbeki also said he and Bush discussed the Millennium Africa Recovery Project, a coalition of African leaders seeking to address conflict resolution, foreign investment and bridging the digital divide on the continent. Mbeki has advocated the project as a way for the African leadership to help the continent break out of conditions of poverty and underdevelopment.

Mbeki leaves Washington and heads to Germany on Wednesday.

010627
UP010618

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2001. 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, 2001. 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. .