Nozizwe a 'major team player'
2007-08-16 20:39
Cape Town - The firing of deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge would fuel a climate of fear among people working in the public health sector, a grouping of civil society organisations said on Thursday.
Organisations making up the Joint Civil Society Monitoring Forum include the Aids Law Project, the Health Systems Trust, the Centre for Health Policy, Idasa and the Treatment Action Campaign.
They said her dismissal was a major setback to the development of a unified national response to HIV/Aids.
"Instead it will fuel a climate of fear amongst people working in the public health sector and prevent them from speaking up about HIV/Aids and the health crisis we face as a country.
"This is not the type of society we want to live in, nor is it the one we all fought for."
Contrary to the statements from the presidency, she had been a major team player.
She had earned the respect of leading health academics, researchers, scientists, doctors, lawyers, health care workers and people living with HIV/Aids.
Madlala-Routledge was axed last week by President Thabo Mbeki, who claimed she was not a "team player".
- SAPA