SciDev.Net
Science and Development Network
News, views and information about science, technology and the developing world
News
Victory for South African AIDS drug campaign
14 December 2001 | EN
The South African Treatment Access Campaign (TAC) has today won a landmark court case against the South African government on the issue of mother-to-child HIV transmission. TAC had demanded that all HIV-positive pregnant women are given a course of treatment of nevirapine, a drug that reduces mother-to-child transmission.
In his ruling, Judge Chris Botha of the Pretoria High Court ordered the government to “make Nevirapine available to pregnant women with HIV who give birth in the public sector, and to their babies”.
Sipho Mthathi of TAC said “The government has failed women with HIV/AIDS, children and all people in our country. Now, it has the opportunity to heal the wounds caused by its lack of action”. Mthathi also warned that the “government has a choice: work with TAC or face an unprecedented national and international mobilisation”.
© SciDev.Net 2001
Related external link:
SA ordered to provide Aids drugs (BBC Online)
In his ruling, Judge Chris Botha of the Pretoria High Court ordered the government to “make Nevirapine available to pregnant women with HIV who give birth in the public sector, and to their babies”.
Sipho Mthathi of TAC said “The government has failed women with HIV/AIDS, children and all people in our country. Now, it has the opportunity to heal the wounds caused by its lack of action”. Mthathi also warned that the “government has a choice: work with TAC or face an unprecedented national and international mobilisation”.
© SciDev.Net 2001
Related external link:
SA ordered to provide Aids drugs (BBC Online)
Add your comment
All comments are subject to approval and we reserve the right to edit comments containing inappropriate/unsuitable language. SciDev.Net holds copyright for all material posted on the website. Please see terms of use for further details.
You need to be signed in to post a comment or to email a consenting comment author. Please sign in or sign up.