Free at last

18 Oct 2001 11:53 - Staff Reporter

The Medical Research Council this week released its report on HIV/Aids and adult mortality in South Africa.

Estimated worldwide HIV infections: 43 775 692 on Thursday October 18 2001

Free at last: The Medical Research Council (MRC) this week released its report on HIV/Aids and adult mortality in South Africa, which finds that Aids is the largest killer in South Africa.

Professor Sam Mhlongo, a member of the Presidential Aids Advisory Council, said the report is “unacceptable” because it does not define what Aids is.

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Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said the report was a “work in progress”. MRC president Malegapuru Makgoba said his organisation stood by the report. For the full report, see www.mrc.ac.za/bod

Stop squabbling: The government should urgently channel resources into meeting the HIV/Aids challenge, and not become “side-tracked by statistical sniping”, a firm of actuaries and management consultants said.

Wayne Myslik, a demographer at NMG-Levy, made the call as the MRC and Statistics SA disputed estimates of Aids’ impact on adult mortality. The latest MRC study indicates that up to seven million Aids-related deaths may occur in South Africa by 2010. The worst-case estimate from Statistics SA is two million. Myslik said his company’s model on adult mortality was “very close” to the MRC figures.