|
JOBS | TENDERS | DATING |
|
|
THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 09 2012 20:48 | LAST UPDATED Feb 09 2012 20:48 |
|
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Monday dismissed accusations that President Jacob Zuma damaged the fight against HIV/Aids after fathering a child out of wedlock. "I am not sure why that statement is being made … people are playing politics," Motsoaledi said on the sidelines of a media briefing in Johannesburg on Aids. "But when we launched the World Aids Day, our slogan was, 'I am taking responsibility'... there are 50-million of us, each one of the 50-million must take some form of responsibility. "Those of us who are old enough to take responsibility, if we all do this ... then these types of blame against one individual won't be important for South Africa." Zuma was criticised for fathering a child out of wedlock, with the Democratic Alliance saying he had taken the fight against HIV/Aids back a decade. The criticism was levelled after media revelations of his child with Sonono Khoza, the daughter of soccer boss Irvin Khoza. The president came under fire during a recent trip to the United Kingdom, with the media in that country describing him as a "vile buffoon" and criticising his polygamous lifestyle. 'Treatment must only come after prevention' Meanwhile, Motsoaledi said on Monday that he was worried that South Africans did not appreciate that prevention was the best way to tackle HIV/Aids. "President [Jacob] Zuma made two far-reaching statements on World Aids Day: he made a strong statement about prevention and a strong statement about treatment regimes. But after World Aids Day South Africans were only talking about the one," Motsoaledi said at the release of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria's 2010 report.  CONTINUES BELOW "That's what is worrying me. I am saying treatment must only come after prevention ... We are worried that South Africans seem to be thinking that we have arrived [after the World Aids Day announcement]." The minister said prevention was the mainstay of fighting against any disease and only once that had failed should treatment become paramount. He said this year's budget for HIV treatment had increased 33% -- the highest increase any department had received. Motsoaledi said he was concerned that if the government had to keep increasing the amount it allocated to the illness, there would be nothing else being funded. "This makes our war of prevention extra important." South Africa was currently treating 920 000 people for HIV/Aids at state hospitals, 400 000 of these were funded by the Global Fund. The Global Fund would this year request replenishment on its budget to continue its work. In September three years ago, it obtained $10-billion to respond to requests by countries to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria. The fund's executive director, Professor Michel Kazatchkine, said the current economic context in which the fund was approaching its donors was "very difficult" due to many countries emerging from, or still in, recession. -- Sapa TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
comment guidelines
|
 Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says prevention is the mainstay of fighting HIV/Aids, and only once this has failed should treatment become paramount. (Werner Beukes, Sapa) Client Media Releases
IN THIS WEEK'S PAPER
SUBSCRIBE: - Paper edition - iPad edition (NEW!) - Kindle edition - Digital edition Read stories online  @mailandguardian - Top stories & newsflashes @NicDawes - M&G editor Nic Dawes @ChrisRoperZA - Editor, M&G Online @amabhungane - M&G Centre for Investigative Journ @mgfeed - Our whole news feed Advertisements |
Contact Us | About Us | Story Tip-offs | Social media policy | Online Advertising | Print Advertising | Subscriptions | Topics A-Z | Mobile Sites | Privacy Policy | RSS Feed
All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
 |
 |