The South African Medical Association (Sama) has withdrawn a statement urging a probe into the alleged involvement of Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and Director General of Health Thami Mseleku in the release of a consignment of Rath Foundation anti-Aids food supplements.
”Sama wishes to unconditionally withdraw and to disassociate itself from the inflammatory media release …,” it said in another statement issued later on Monday, blaming its communications unit for the problem.
In the initial statement, Sama said Port Health authorities had been reluctant to release the supplements into the country as they contained scheduled substances.
It went on to accuse Mseleku of directly facilitating their entry ”in direct violation of existing laws and regulations”.
The claims followed a report in the Mail & Guardian alleging that Port Health would not release a Rath consignment of two pallets of 5 000 tablets described as ”food supplements”, because it did not comply with regulations.
Rath advocates the use of natural remedies to control HIV/Aids. He has been accused of making people suspicious of antiretrovirals and of allegedly encouraging people to switch to his treatment recommendations.
The consignment allegedly contained the schedule two substance N-acetylcysteine which fights phlegm and, in large doses, is used to fight paracetamol poisoning.
Unlike food supplements, it must be registered with the Medicines Control Council and can be dispensed only by a doctor or pharmacist.
Sama’s ”unfounded and untested” allegations against the health ministry were ”regrettable, unfortunate and baseless”, said Sama board chairperson Kgosi Letlape
He unconditionally apologised to Tshabalala-Msimang and Mseleku.
”It is not in Sama’s nature to comment on articles published in the media that are based on hearsay. We regret any embarrassment to the health ministry …,” Letlape said.
Sama would try to clarify the allegations with Tshabalala-Msimang and Mseleku, he said.
Meanwhile, The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has called for Mseleku’s suspension, for the apparent exceeding of his authority and breaking of the law.
”Mr Mseleku has undermined the country’s legal framework established to protect public health,” it said.
”Since the Aids epidemic began, people with HIV/Aids have been vulnerable to unscrupulous activities aimed at exploiting them,” the TAC continued.
”Mr Mseleku’s actions make it easier for these unscrupulous activities to continue unabated. It begs the question as to whether [the] government has a real commitment to ending discrimination against people with HIV and protecting our health. This is a scandal.”
Department of Health spokesperson Sibani Mngadi told the M&G the department instructed the release of the consignment into the care of a pharmacist after it was requested to do so in legal correspondence from the Rath Foundation. Mngadi did not confirm Mseleku’s role.
The Department of Health said it would study the TAC and Sama statements before commenting. — Sapa