THE Johannesburg based children’s sanctuary, Cotlands, on Friday added its voice to the call for the immediate distribution of the antiretroviral drug, nevirapine, to HIV-positive pregnant women.
”Cotlands can no longer stand by and watch helplessly as babies and children slip through our fingers in increasing numbers in our Aids hospice,” Cotlands executive director Jackie Schoeman said.
”We want to see something being done about reducing this constant stream of death.”
She said child care workers at the hospice were being placed under tremendous strain, knowing that the government had the power to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV but was dragging its feet.
”In the light of the South African Constitution, it is certainly not in the best interests of children to be denied access to medication which could save their lives.”
Schoeman said Cotlands’ mission was to place children back into the community as quickly as possible. HIV-positive children, were however still regarded with suspicion and suffered from discrimination.
”As one of South Africa’s biggest independent, non-profit organisations caring for abandoned, abused and Aids children, we are honour-bound to enter the nevirapine debate, putting our weight behind the Treatment Action Campaign.”
She called on government to grant free and easy access to nevirapine with immediate effect. – Sapa