Manto quits Bangkok

2004-07-13 19:37

Pretoria - Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang left the International Aids Conference in Bangkok to attend a cabinet meeting in South Africa, not to "have a holiday with her husband", said departmental spokesperson Sibani Mngadi on Tuesday.

He said the ministry was concerned about "irresponsible utterances" about Tshabalala-Msimang's departure, made by Treatment Action Campaign leader Zackie Achmat, when he addressed a session at the conference.

"The irresponsible remarks by Achmat at a forum of this level indicate his determination to enforce a bad image of the country's response to HIV/Aids at international level and undermine the efforts of government to curb the spread of HIV and reduce the impact of Aids," said Mngadi.

"Tshabalala-Msimang had to leave the conference to attend the meeting of the cabinet committee on budget, of which she is a member," said Mngadi, adding she was expected to arrive in South Africa on Wednesday.

Important forum for ideas

According to Mngadi, Achmat had said at the conference the minister had stopped the provision of nevirapine and had also left the conference to go on a holiday with her husband.

Mngadi also said Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya would lead the South African delegation in Tshabalala-Msimang's place.

"The South African government has sent a high-level delegation to this conference because we regard it as an important forum to share ideas around the challenge of HIV/Aids," he said.

Other high-profile members of the delegations include minerals and energy deputy minister Lulu Xingwana and Free State Premier Beatrice Marshoff.

Tshabalala-Msimang is married to African National Congress national treasurer Mendi Msimang.

- SAPA