Mbeki's Aids policy 'disastrous'

A group of 81 international scientists working on HIV/Aids have written to Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's president, urging him to end his government's "disastrous, pseudo-scientific policies" on the disease.

In an "Expression of Concern by HIV Scientists", the group also called on Mr Mbeki to sack Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, his health minister, nicknamed "Doctor Beetroot" for her unorthodox views on treating Aids.

The scientists claimed that she had undermined their field by advocating "alternative" remedies to antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, the only medications currently available that alleviate the consequences of HIV infection.
"We are . . . deeply concerned by the proliferation of unproven remedies being marketed in South Africa, some of them with the implicit or even explicit support of the minister of health," said the letter, made public yesterday.

Signatories of the letter included Robert Gallo, credited with co-discovering HIV, and David Baltimore, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. The group also endorsed remarks by Mark Wainberg, chairman of the recent international Aids conference in Toronto, describing Mr Mbeki as a "denialist president".

Mr Mbeki has in the past questioned the link between HIV and Aids and the effectiveness of ARVs. Ms Tshabalala-Msimang has angered Aids activists by belittling ARVs and advocating garlic, lemon and the African potato as remedies for patients with suppressed immune systems.

The South African government exhibition at the Toronto conference featured samples of these foods, provoking derision and anger among Aids scientists and activists. "To have as a health minister a person who now has no international respect is an embarrassment to the South African government," the letter said.

South Africa has more than 5m HIV-positive people and one of the world's largest Aids treatment plans. But activists say that fewer than half of the people who need treatment receive it.

No immediate response was available from Mr Mbeki yesterday. He has in the past publicly supported his health minister, whom he reappointed to her post after his re-election to a second term in 2004.

Ms Tshabalala-Msimang is the wife of Mendi Msimang, the treasurer of the ruling African National Congress.

By John Reed in Johannesburg / Published: September 7 2006 / Copyright: The Financial Times Limited 2006