17 September 2006
Treatment Action Campaign is in the process of raising R4 million to finance its media and publicity campaign aimed at ousting the Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
While the prospect of success of this campaign is almost nil, the money being raised can save lives by procuring millions of condoms or provide antiretroviral treatment to more than a thousand people.
The organisation states in its website www.tac.org.za that it has already raised R100 000 and calls upon donors to support its R4 million fundraising efforts. It makes special arrangements for donors in United Kingdom and United States of America, which are the main countries where the organisation has intensified its campaign against Minister Tshabalala-Msimang.
It also states categorically that the organisation will not accept donations from the South African Government and pharmaceutical companies.
The money will be used to finance the organisation's activities over the next three months to try to remove Minister Tshabalala-Msimang from office. Some of the activities to be financed include a march to parliament on September 19 to coincide with the meeting of Correctional Service Portfolio Committee, a civil society conference in October and a march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on the World AIDS Day (December 01).
The concern is that R4 million is being spent on a campaign that will not make any difference in improving the response to HIV and AIDS.
I would have made sense if the money was being spent in activities that save lives whether by assisting in preventing new infections or providing support for people with AIDS.
R4 million can buy more than 18 million male condoms or 500 000 female condoms at current state prices. It can save lives by financing antiretroviral treatment for 1190 people for a year (current cost for providing first line of drugs, stavudine, lamivudine and efavirenz is R3360 per person per year).
Sibani Mngadi (Spokesperson for the Department of Health) @ 0827720161