16/8/02 4:25 PM
Former President Nelson Mandela on Friday reiterated his stance that anti-
retroviral drugs should be made available in the public sector.
He made the comments in a statement issued to express his condolences to
the family, and specifically the four children, of singer Anneline Malebo,
who died in Cape Town on Wednesday night.
Malebo, 48, was lead singer of the group Joy, famous for its 1970s hit
song "Paradise Road". She contracted HIV two years ago.
Malebo only started taking anti-retrovirals three weeks ago, after refusing
to do so because she believed that money for the medication should be left
for her children, the Cape Argus reported.
Mandela said on Friday: "We ... learnt with great sadness that Anneline's
economic position made her unable to take anti-retrovirals earlier.
"This again emphasises the need for us to make treatment available in the
public sector and in places accessible to those who cannot afford
otherwise." At the International Aids Conference in Barcelona, Spain, last
month, Mandela said anti-retroviral treatment should be extended to the HIV-
infected parents of children. "Many children are orphans today because
their parents were not able to get access to treatment for Aids.
"Is it acceptable that these dying parents have no access to treatment? The
simple answer is no. We must find the means to take life-saving treatment
to all who need it, regardless of whether they can pay for it, or where
they live or whatever reason."
A visit last month to Treatment Action Campaign leader Zackie Achmat, who
refuses to take anti-retrovirals until they are available to everyone,
prompted Mandela to ask for a meeting with President Thabo Mbeki.
At the time, Mandela said he supported the government's stance that
research into anti-retrovirals in an African context was necessary to
ensure that if there was a roll-out, the drugs would be safe.
"But of course what worries everybody is the number of people who are dying
almost daily," he added.
The government agreed in March to "carefully examine" Mandela's proposal
that ARVs be made available in the public sector. At the time, Mandela said
he would like to see ARVs dispensed while the government's important
research into their alleged toxicity was being conducted.
"A perception has been created that we do not care for dying babies, dying
young people. I want us to remove this perception," he said.
However, the African National Congress's national executive committee
subsequently rejected Mandela's views that anti-retrovirals like nevirapine
should be made available to all Aids sufferers who think the drugs might do
them some good.
Despite this, Mandela has expressed his unequivocal support for Mbeki for a
second term in office as president of the ANC at its national congress to
be held in December.
But he has remained adamant that people with HIV/Aids should decide for
themselves whether they want to take the drugs.
"Let us leave the responsibility to each individual who may be suffering
from HIV/Aids and warn them that some of these drugs may be toxic," he said
in April.
By not providing drugs in state hospitals, the government was effectively
prejudicing the poor as the rich could always go to their private doctors
or clinics for the drugs, while the poor could only rely on public
hospitals where the drugs could be provided free, Mandela said.
"I have expressed that opinion because I believe in it and I am prepared to
defend it to the end of my days."
In an earlier radio interview Mandela said that despite the ANC's rejection
of his views he would not retreat from his call for universal access to
anti-retrovirals.
"That's not a question from which I can retreat. When people are dying --
babies, young people -- I can never be quiet."
On Friday he said he admired Malebo for her courage to make her HIV-
positive status known.
"This must serve as an example to other people who live with HIV/Aids. It
is only through making their status known that we shall be able to overcome
the stigma of HIV/Aids."
Arts and Culture Minister Ben Ngubane also described Malebo as "special"
for revealing her HIV/Aids status.
"This is an indication that she was committed to assisting government in
fighting the disease."
Ngubane said Malebo made an immense contribution in promoting music in
South Africa and the international arena in the 1970s and 1980s.
"She became an icon of hope, encouraging and educating the younger
generation to become seasoned musicians."
Mandela said he remembered with great affection a song Malebo had dedicated
to him.
"We mourn the untimely death of this great artistic talent in our society."
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