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Date: 28 June, 2002

On 28 June 2002 the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) table a national HIV/AIDS treatment plan in the National Economic, Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).

This is intended to allow Cosatu to declare a dispute with government and business should there be no agreement reached in Nedlac on the implementation of the treatment plan. A key aspect of the plan involves making antiretroviral drugs available in the public health sector for those with HIV. Both Cosatu and TAC emphasise that, although the drugs are expensive, the social and economic costs to South Africa, of not providing the drugs, are far higher.

Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary of Cosatu believes government is in a position to produce generic antiretroviral drugs for the whole of Africa. He criticises them for spending billions on an arms deal while its citizens are dying from HIV/AIDS in tens of thousands. According to Cosatu, to increase generic production would reduce costs, stimulate the local pharmaceutical industry and provide jobs.

In contradistinction to the government's strategy of denial of home-based care to HIV/Aids sufferers, Cosatu and TAC say their plan is aimed at keeping millions alive for longer. TAC chairperson Zackie Achmat warns that unless drugs are made available to those living with HIV the care needs of HIV sufferers would cripple the healthcare system in the country. Cosatu and TAC propose a three-pronged intervention: HIV transmission prevention, improved treatment of other sexually transmitted diseases and specifically, two HIV/Aids treatment methods of anti-retroviral drugs and home-based care.

This follows a 700 delegate national treatment conference with the theme "Prevent New Infections! Save Lives! Improve Access to Treatment!" The aim of the historic conference is to unite NGO's, business people, trade unions, religious groups, AIDS service organisations, health care workers, scientists and government on the need for an emergency treatment plan to deal with the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Some objectives of the conference are to develop practical strategies to support government in the implementation of an HIV/AIDS plan, to develop a consensus platform on treating HIV/AIDS, to develop practical strategies to implement resolutions taken on HIV/AIDS, STIs, TB, and antiretroviral therapy by the National Health Summit in November 2001 and to identify needs of the public health sectors and health workers.

Sources:

1. June AIDS Forum: Shedding light into what specific factors translate into HIV infection in employees. Website: csa.za.org
2. Spend defence budget on AIDS - Cosatu. Website: hivan.org.za