|
Minister relents on Aids plan
22/02/2002 22:14 - (SA)
Johannesburg - It was a rebellious stance, but Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa's announcement that antiretroviral drugs will be dispensed to HIV positive pregnant women in the province is to become reality within the next 100 days.
Shilowa and his MEC for health Gwen Ramokgopa were summoned to a meeting with National Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang late on Friday afternoon "to clear misunderstandings about his announcement".
After a week of public contradictions involving themselves,
cabinet, the presidency as well as the national and provincial ANC structures, the two met at an undisclosed location and afterwards issued a joint statement through the Government Communications and Information System, saying they had "ironed out their differences".
A few hours before the meeting Shilowa's Health MEC Gwen
Ramokgopa told the provincial legislature that the stepped-up
distribution of nevirapine would go ahead as planned.
Gauteng 'does have the capacity'
In the joint statement, Tshabalala-Msimang admitted that in spite of the ANC's national Aids policy to limit nevirapine to 18 pilot research porjects, Gauteng did have the capacity to dispense antiretrovirals in the provincial hospitals and clinics.
Tshabalala-Msimang and the ANC distanced themselves from Shilowa's announcement earlier in the week. The ANC's point is that Gauteng was jumping the mark by not sticking to the last Minmec (Minister/MEC) meeting's resolution that all provincial MECs for health in ANC-led provinces would make recommendations at the following Minmec meeting.
They were supposed to "go back to their provinces to study and further consult on the report with a view of formulating an appropriate response current pilot sites and the requirements to run an efficient and effective programme".
Studying long-term impact of nevirapine
"The meeting reaffirmed government's comprehensive approach to the campaign against HIV/Aids, and emphasised that all elements of this programme should form part of public discourse on this matter," the statement said.
The minister supposedly stuck to this point and the joint statement released on Friday revives it, reiterating the premise that the pilot sites were for purposes of research to gain clarity on issues of capacity and resources required to take care of baby and mother, even after administration of antiretrovirals.
"This has made it possible for government to consider extending sites where such capacity exists," the joint statement said, adding that more time and work was required to establish the long-term impact of the administration of nevirapine.
"These include resistance, possibilities of relapse and whether there are any other negative consequences for both mother and baby."
Such research would take a year and more from the beginning of operation of the pilot sites. It was only on this basis, and depending on the outcome of this research, that consideration would then be given to whether it was advisable to introduce universal access," the GCIS statement said.
"The Gauteng province will continue with preparations to extend the research sites, in line with national guidelines and protocols. The minister and the premier consider this matter closed," the statement concluded.
She said the number of existing pilot sites would be increased
by eight to a total of 18, and that by the end of the next
financial year all public hospitals would give out nevirapine.
Another Aids rebel within ANC
Criticism against government's Aids policy also came from senior ANC MP Pregs Govender on Friday. As chairperson for the joint monitoring committee on the status and quality of life of women, Govender believes women should have the opportunity to decide for themselves for or against nevirapine.
"HIV positive woman should be able to make their own choices," she told Die Burger on Friday.
At the end of last year her committee submitted a parliamentary report on HIV/Aids in which government was asked to make nevirapine available to state hospitals.
Govender was very happy to hear the announcements by Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to roll out nevirapine and said Mpumalanga ought to follow their example.
Meanwhile Northern Cape Premier Manne Dipico announced on Friday that his government would set aside about R40 million to target life skills in schools, home-based care and awareness programmes regarding HIV/Aids.
He said the provincial government would also continue to monitor the mother-to-child transmission of HIV at pilot projects in Kimberley and De Aar. - Sapa and News24
- News24
|
