Treatment Action Campaign

Statement by the AIDS Law Project

The AIDS Law Project (ALP) is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of its litigation against the SANDF's policy of excluding HIV positive people from recruitment, external deployment and promotion. It is a vindication of the Constitution and should be seen as having significance not only for the military in South Africa, but internationally. The order means that:

TAC has a made a submission to the Department of Health (DoH) and the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) on the new draft DoH Guidelines on the Management of HIV in Health Facilities (Guidelines). The submission presented yesterday (16 May) by Zackie Achmat at a meeting of SANAC's Techinal Task Team on HIV Treatment, Care and Support. Later this month the submission will also be presented at the SANAC Plenary.

The AIDS Law Project, acting on behalf of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, the Rural Doctors Association of Southern Africa and the Treatment Action Campaign has made a submission to the South African Human Rights Commission requesting an investigation into human rights violations committed by the MEC for Health in KwaZulu-Natal, Ms Peggy Nkonyeni. The submission also addresses actions by her staff.

The AIDS Law Project has brought a case against the South African National Defence Force on behalf of the South African Security Forces Union (SASFU) and three individuals with HIV who have been discriminated against. The case will be heard in the Pretoria High Court on 15 to 16 May 2008.

AIDS Law Project Press Statement, 9 May 2008, For Immediate Release

DEFEND ETHICAL DOCTORS FROM UNETHICAL POLITICIANS
DR MALCOLM NAUDE GOES TO LABOUR COURT TO CHALLENGE DISMISSAL IN 2001 FOR PROVIDING ARVs TO RAPE SURVIVORS

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) is looking for a director of its Policy, Communications and Research Department. This department is at the centre of TAC's work and is responsible for formulating and communicating TAC's advocacy positions as well as making complex science understandable for the general public.

The AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa has made a submission to the Department of Social Development on the draft Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Bill. The TAC endorses their submission.

Statistics are suspicious and appear to be plagiarised from an out-of-date source

On Sunday 4 May, the Sunday Independent reported  HIV statistics released by the Development Bank of South Africa. In particular, the report stated:

TAC will protest in Khayelitsha on Saturday 26 April against violence in our communities.

On the basis of two Cochrane reviews, we have decided to modify our existing materials and withdraw the recommendation that otherwise healthy adults with HIV take multivitamin supplements. This must not be construed as a recommendation against taking these supplements but as an application of the cautionary principle that medical interventions should only receive a positive recommendation if there is compelling evidence or reason to do so.