| By Gavin Chait,
on 12 January 2007
|
 Mandela loves Zackie
The charges are being laid by Treatment Information Group, headed by “Dr” Matthias Rath, a promoter of vitamins as a cure for ((AIDS)) and who has support from the Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. She has been a recent victim of public humiliation at an international AIDS conference in Canada after declaring her affection for garlic and beetroot as a cure for AIDS. She has been absent with a “mysterious” illness for several months.
The accusation? Antiretrovirals are harmful and are causing deaths. Therefore, since Achmat is responsible for their introduction and use, he must also be responsible for willingly causing these deaths. Hence he is responsible for genocide.
It is a wild accusation and demands of an impartial international court that it decide on a matter of purely local conflict. It is one that the South African government may regret ever having come to light.
Whatever the reasons for President Thabo Mbeki’s stance on HIV, he is unlikely to enjoy an international finding in the ((Treatment Action Campaign))’s favour. He, and his health minister, have enjoyed the vagueness of their topic. Scientists are 99% sure of antiretrovirals but there are always studies that will show more harm than good.
A court case, however, must take a side and offer a judgement in someone’s favour. Scientists may not have the perfect cure for the disease but health professionals the world over are convinced that antiretrovirals can significantly prolong the life of HIV positive individuals. Most people can live a long and normal life on the drugs.
A finding in favour of Achmat, who is currently on antiretrovirals, will leave the government in a tenuous position. They have, to some extent, changed their stance on the link of HIV to AIDS but are dragging their feet as regards roll-out of medication. They still claim that antriretrovirals cause more harm than good.
This charge leaves it up to an impartial court in another jurisdiction to make a decision on their behalf.
In all likelihood the government will call on their minions at the ((Treatment Information Group)) to back down. Before they suffer another humiliation in their denial of AIDS.
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