PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki has acknowledged that his government had failed to communicate
its message on Aids successfully.
In an interview with The Star newspaper Mbeki denied that there was a lack of leadership by the
government on HIV/Aids, but conceded that there might be a
communication problem.
”Perhaps we are not communicating that (message) loud enough.
But I think there’s been very strong leadership on the matter,” the
president said.
He indicated that he was prepared to do more than he had in the
past to provide leadership on the HIV/Aids issue.
”It is critically important that I communicate correct
messages.”
Mbeki expressed concern that a message of hopelessness was
pervasive among people infected and affected by the disease.
”There are wrong things that are being communicated, like a
question of hopelessness,” he said.
The president said a major impact could be made on South
Africa’s health problems by treating curable diseases such a
tuberculosis, regardless of a person’s HIV status.
”Otherwise you are taking someone and: I sentence you to death.
”That is wrong. We can’t send people home to die. We need a
comprehensive response to the health problem.”
He said the Aids issue could be solved, but this required a
sense of compassion and concern about people.
”I think that if people are told the truth, they can get through
this. And it is necessary to tell the truth repeatedly,” Mbeki
said.
HIV/Aids is expected to reduce the life expectancy of South
Africans to 45 years by 2010.
He also urged all South Africans to take
responsibility for their own lifestyles and personal health.
”You need to inculcate into the minds of people that they, too,
have a responsibility for the health,” Mbeki told the newspaper.
”You can’t be going around having hugely promiscuous sex all
over the place and hope that you won’t be affected by something or
the other.” – Sapa