Former president Nelson Mandela on Thursday praised Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa for his stance on the provision of anti-Aids drug, nevirapine.
Mandela was addressing Zola resident in Soweto, where he, Jimmy Carter of the United States of America and William Gates senior — the father of Microsoft founder, Bill Gates — were inspecting the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation programme.
Mandela said Shilowa had taken a courageous stance by listening to public calls for the provision of the drug.
”It does not mean that your ego has been tarnished if you listen to the people” he said.
While calling for the government to be supported in Aids research programmes, the former president repeated his stance that the government should allow people to attain the drug from public hospitals.
Some people consult private doctors for the drug but the majority were the poor who relied on public hospitals and clinics for medication.
”If the government says it will not take any more of these drugs because they are toxic, many people will continue to die.”
”But if the government says its your responsibility, then we will remove the perception that the government does not care,” Mandela said.
He said the government was doing well with its research programmes despite the circumstances of being in a continent faced with poverty and should therefore be fully supported. – Sapa