Treatment Action Campaign

A week into the public sector strike the Treatment Action Campaign and SECTION27 regret that no agreement has been reached between striking public service workers and the government.  We support the demands of workers and their right to strike. But we regret the growing polarisation, pain and loss of life. This is now a political crisis that requires political leadership and a solution.

                                                                                                                             Themba Hadebe/ AP Photo

We publish correspondence between the TAC and the Kwazulu-Natal Provincial Government about the Tara KLamp, an unsafe circumcision device that the Kwazulu-Natal Department of Health has used in approximately 1,000 circumcisions.

To develop the systems and capacity within TAC to measure and verify data for purposes of populating TAC’s M&E performance management framework with baseline data and routinely collecting data on the outputs and outcomes to which TAC contributes.

This is the first edition of a report that TAC will produce quarterly. The report assesses TAC’s work in supporting the implementation of the NSP through identifying what has been achieved, lessons learnt, further gaps in policy, and opportunities at district level. The first report covers activities and campaigns from March – May 2010. TAC will develop subsequent reports in collaboration with SECTION27 (incorporating theAIDS Law Project).

This week Mzilikazi wa Afrika, a Sunday Times journalist, was arrested in Rosebank Johannesburg. The circumstances, manner and cause of his arrest all seem to point to intimidation by the state and attempts to suppress freedom of expression. The right to free expression and freedom of the press and other media are essential components of democracy. That is why they are contained in the Bill of Rights. They are one of the essential means by which all people in South Africa, especially the vulnerable, exploited and poor, can hold government and the powerful private business sector to account. We therefore unequivocally condemn the arrest of wa Afrika.

Article by Nonkosi Khumalo, Chairperson of the Treatment Action Campain. Originally published by the Sowetan on 3 August 2010.

In his column published in the Sowetan on 27 July 2010 (“Research on HIV prevention gel put black lives at risk”), Andile Mngxitama viciously attacks South African researchers who recently announced a huge breakthrough in the development of a microbicide, a gel that they hope women will be able to use to reduce their risk of being infected with HIV from sex.  Under the guise of black consciousness he distorts facts, takes an opinion on something he knows little about, and makes statements that will cause life-threatening confusion.  Steve Biko would never have written in this way. Mr Mngxitama is wrong on every count.

Photo by Jens Schicke

ETV is promoting quackery by airing Christ Embassy’s weekly info commercial at 7:30 on Sunday mornings. During the commercial the pastor who runs the church claims to faith-heal a number of diseases including cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Christ Embassy's website claims that Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the proprietor of this church, can faith-heal HIV. By claiming to heal life-threatening conditions, Christ Embassy is leading people to believe that they no longer have to adhere to treatment or seek appropriate medical care.

South Africa is facing dual HIV/TB epidemics and therefore South African media outlets have a responsibility to promote correct information about prevention, treatment and care. The promotion of quackery by ETV is undermining these efforts. We call on ETV to cease airing the commercials.
 

TAC supports medical male circumcision as an effective HIV prevention method. Studies have shown that medical male circumcision can reduce a heterosexual man's chances of contracting HIV by 60%. Medical male circumcision should be rolled out with expanded access to condoms to reduce new HIV infections.

However, TAC is alarmed by the use of the Tara KLamp by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health in performing medical male circumcisions. The Tara KLamp has been shown to be unsafe for use on adult and adolescent males. We therefore call on the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health to recall the use of the device.

To see TAC's flier on the Tara KLamp click here.

Programme director, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen

Let me start by thanking the organisers of the 18th International AIDS Conference for inviting me to address this plenary session. In the past South Africa has been the subject of much criticism at these conferences for being a heavily divided country on its approach to the HIV and AIDS pandemic. However, I can stand before you today and state categorically that in 2010 all of South Africa is united behind our work on HIV prevention and treatment. Through the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) a structure chaired by the Deputy President of our country we have achieved a common purpose and approach to the challenge of HIV and AIDS.

Click on the link to see all of the TAC district newsletters for March - May 2010.