The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) expressed concern on Sunday at reports that Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang had announced that anti-retroviral drugs would not be distributed this year.
The Sunday Independent reported that Tshabalala-Msimang said on Saturday there would be no roll-out of the drugs this year.
”I have no idea when the long-awaited roll-out will begin,” she reportedly said before the launch of a project for volunteers providing home-based health care for Aids patients in Durban.
Even though a task team charged with developing a roll-out plan was on target to deliver its report to the Cabinet at the end of September, Tshabalala-Msimang would not talk about when the actual process would begin.
”I cannot speculate. How can I report on speculation to the Cabinet?” she reportedly said, refusing to set a time frame.
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said on Sunday: ”We reiterate our view that the HIV/Aids treatment campaign must be treated with a maximum possible urgency.
”We call on the minister to reconsider the decision.” — Sapa