South Africa launches massive anti-Aids drive

Pretoria: South Africa's president announced before a cheering crowd on World Aids Day that his government will expand testing and treat all HIV-positive babies.

President Jacob Zuma's speech Tuesday was eagerly awaited as the definitive turning point for a country that has more people infected with the Aids virus than any other, as well as a legacy of leaders who rejected treatment based on medical science and delayed lifesaving measures.

Zuma compared the fight against Aids to the decades-long struggle against the apartheid government, which ended in 1994 with the election of Nelson Mandela in the country's first multi-racial elections.

"At another moment in our history, in another context, the liberation movement observed that the time comes in the life of any nation when there remain only two choices: submit or fight," Zuma said.

"That time has now come in our struggle to overcome Aids. Let us declare now, as we declared then, that we shall not submit."

Policy changes

Zuma, credited with already making important policy changes on Aids, was greeted with a standing ovation when he entered a Pretoria exhibition hall filled with several thousand people, many of them Aids activists, medical professionals, or both.

UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe, who took the podium shortly before Zuma, told the president: "What you do from this day forward will write, or rewrite, the story of AIDS across Africa."

Tuesday, in response to a plea from Zuma, the United States announced it was giving South Africa $120 million (Dh440.4 million) over the next two years for Aids treatment drugs.

In his speech, broadcast across South Africa on state radio and television, Zuma said new policy changes would take effect in April.

"It means that people will live longer and more fulfilling lives," he said.

The new steps included treatment for all HIV-positive children under 1 year old, and earlier treatment for patients infected with both the virus that causes Aids and tuberculosis and for women who are pregnant and HIV-positive.

Counselling

He said all health institutions, not just specialist centres, would provide counselling, testing and treatment. Zuma also called on South Africans to be tested for HIV. But, contrary to speculation in recent days, he did not take an Aids test yesterday.

"I have taken HIV tests before and I know my status," he said. "I will do another test soon as part of this new campaign. I urge you to start planning for your own tests."

After listening to his president, advertising consultant Tedson Tibani said the steps Zuma outlined could significantly reduce infections within a few years. Tibani said putting more people on drugs would cost money, but said he was hopeful others would follow the US in donating money.

"There's a kind of hope the president has instilled," Tibani said. "I'm very happy with that. We've never had that before."

Setjhaba Ranthako brought his 4-year-old daughter Tshegofatso to hear Zuma's speech, saying education should start early.

"I've see in President Zuma a person who's willing to listen, and say, ‘Here I am, come with your views, and let's turn your views into an effective campaign to combat the spread of Aids'," said Ranthako, who works with a group that raises awareness about Aids among men.