Manto: De Klerk wrong on Aids
2004-10-05 20:15
Special Report
The South African government has announced a joint venture to reduce the cost of anti-retroviral drugs with a Swiss company.
Cape Town - Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang accused former president FW de Klerk and his government on Tuesday of not responding adequately to HIV and Aids when they were in power.
Government was concerned about the "disturbing remarks" made at the weekend by De Klerk about South Africa's programme on HIV and Aids, she said.
De Klerk was quoted in the media as saying the ANC government lost years in the fight against Aids by not implementing a plan drawn up by the former health minister in his government on the issue.
Tshabalala-Msimang said Aids had been a global challenge since it was discovered in the 1980s.
"De Klerk and the apartheid government failed to take meaningful action to respond to this challenge," she said.
"The ANC and other organisations outside of government had to lead many efforts in responding to the rapid spread of HIV infection in the early 1990s with former president (Nelson) Mandela launching the main programme in 1992."
The "limited interventions" made by De Klerk's government were not only ineffective, but contributed to perpetrating negative stereotypes and stigma around HIV and Aids.
"Apartheid's campaigns portrayed HIV and Aids as a deadly condition associated with improper or unfaithful sexual behaviour.
"It was a black man's disease with images of people being buried in black coffins because they had Aids.
"It was only after 1994 that tangible efforts were made by government to curb the spread of HIV infection; provide treatment, care, and support for those infected and affected; and address the stigma associated with HIV and Aids," Tshabalala-Msimang said.
- SAPA