The National Association of People Living with HIV/Aids (Napwa) announced the suspension of its Black Easter Campaign on Thursday. The campaign started on April 17 in a bid to force drug manufacturers to provide HIV/Aids drugs free of charge.
Representative Thanduxolo Doro said the organisation was suspending its pickets following the pharmaceutical companies’ requests for meetings.
Napwa has been picketing outside Meck Sharpen Dohme, Glaxo-Smithkline, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Boeringer Ingelheim and Roche since the Easter Weekend.
The organisation was demanding free treatment for opportunistic infections and anti-retroviral medicines to disadvantaged and unemployed HIV/Aids sufferers.
”All past and future price reductions — although welcomed by Napwa –have not and will not benefit this target group.”
He said a Statistics South Africa labour force survey done in 2002 indicated that of the 4,8-million people who were unemployed, 1,2-million people were disabled and/or chronically ill and unable to work.
Doro said it was possible for pharmaceuticals to provide the necessary drugs.
”It is simply a of a commitment by these pharmaceuticals to begin to be empathetic and cease to be bent on profiteering only.” – Sapa