The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) said in a statement on Tuesday it was suspending its civil disobedience campaign pending the outcome of a full day meeting with the SA National Aids Council (Sanac) on May 17.
The decision was made at a meeting of the TAC executive committee despite reservations expressed by several members who stressed the urgency of changing government policy on treatment for people living with HIV/Aids and concerns about whether Sanac had the power to act to save lives.
The statement said the current civil disobedience campaign was being suspended to give the government a full opportunity of proving its good faith and to demonstrate that the TAC’s campaign was about saving lives.
The executive of the TAC would meet on May 18 to approve an agenda for the Sanac meeting which would include, an antiretroviral treatment programme for the public sector, the TAC’s relationship with government and Sanac, and questions Sanac may have about the TAC’s structure and finances.
Mark Heywood, TAC national secretary, said his organisation would propose that the outcome of the May 17 meeting with Sanac be immediately and formally tabled with government as urgent recommendations with a request that they be considered and confirmed within three weeks of that meeting.
The outcome must include using the legal powers of government to reduce the prices of medicines, Heywood said.
On Sunday, GlaxoSmithKlein, one of the world’s largest drugs manufacturers said it would reduce the price of certain drugs by 50% for developing countries.
Government estimates put the number of people in South Africa living with HIV/Aids at 5,5 million. – Sapa