HIV/Aids gets dealt with finally

By Tarryn Le Chat
08 September 2006


In a significant move to salvage the government’s battered image, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has been tasked with a more public and vocal role to boost the fight against HIV and Aids.

The fight against the epidemic will no longer be led by the health ministry and its controversial head Manto Tshabalala-Msimang alone, but will be viewed as a government wide challenge spanning five ministries.

According to the Cape Times, this comes about as the death toll rose in account to young women in the country, in a mortality report.

Government spokesperson, Themba Maseko, told reporters that HIV and aids would now be the responsibility of government as a whole and not solely a health ministry problem.

According to the report, an inter-ministerial committee would be established to strengthen the implementation of the state’s comprehensive HIV/Aids programme. This would include the ministers of health, education, social development, the presidency and provincial and local government.

Mlambo-Ngcuka will be heading up the campaign with the five ministries.

Treatment action campaign (TAC) leader, Zackie Achmat noted that Mlambo-Ngcuka’s predecessor, Jacob Zuma, lacked the political courage, the leadership and the self-governance to bring the health minister under control while he headed Sanac.