SA cannot afford anti-retrovirals now – Health minister

“I am telling you. I have calculated and I can’€™t afford it. For me it is not affordable.”

Health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is clear that her department is unable to afford anti-retrovirals for South Africa’€™s almost five million people living with HIV/AIDS.

Speaking at a briefing in parliament she said it was not affordable now in the light of the fact that it was not only the cost of the drugs, but also additional staff costs as well as operational costs.

She added, however, that she was committed to treating opportunistic infections and revealed that she was in negotiations with companies to acquire immune booster drugs.

She admitted that offering treatment was an incentive to come forward and be tested, but added that she hoped that fact that the department offered drugs to cure diseases such as TB would encourage people to come forward and be treated.

The minister confirmed that she had opted to oppose the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) in court. TAC opted for legal action after Government failed to roll out treatment that could prevent pregnant women from passing HIV to their children.

TAC has said that Government’€™s decision to run pilot sites was not good enough.

Indications are that Tshabalala-Msimang will be joined in court by eight provinces while “unsurprisingly” the Western Cape will respond separately.

Tshabalala-Msimang reiterated that Government was not planning to de-emphasise spending on HIV/AIDS despite recent report attributed to President Thabo Mbeki.

“We have just tabled a memo seeking permission to contribute to the Global HIV/AIDS fund and we have awarded a R90-million communication tender to strengthen the prevention component of our campaign,” she said. “Surely that shows that were are de-emphasising spending.”

“As South Africa we just cannot afford the medicine (anti-retrovirals). My R2-billion medicines budget is not enough. If I bought anti-retrovirals I will have to forget about everything else, even if the drugs are sold at cost,” Tshabalala-Msimang said.

She said at least 12 cocktails would have to be acquired as patients developed resistance.

“We are committed to managing opportunistic infections and we want to use immune boosters quite extensively.”

Tshabalala-Msimang said issues of nutrition were critical.

She said first prize would be to ensure food security such as vegetable gardens with a constant food supply.

She said Government was duty bound to offer food to those who had absolutely nothing and that measures were being expanded to fund caregivers. ‘€“ Health-e News Service

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  • healthe

    Health-e News is South Africa's dedicated health news service and home to OurHealth citizen journalism. Follow us on Twitter @HealtheNews

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