S African govt retains HIV/AIDS stance

The government of South Africa remains at the center of growing nationaland international pressure regarding its contentious stance on HIV/AIDS therapy, as well as its viewpoint on the use of antiretroviral drugs, reports the Marketletter's local correspondent.

President Thabo Mbeki, basing his view on dated figures from the World Health Organization, asked Health Minister Tshabalala Msimang to "review health expenditure priorities" in light of the WHO statistics that show AIDS as 12th in the list of reasons for death reported in the country. In a letter, which has been leaked to the press, the President said: "needless to say, these figures will provoke a howl of displeasure and a concerted propaganda campaign among those who have convinced themselves that HIV/AIDS is the single biggest cause of death in our country" (Marketletter September 24).

Said to have tried to suppress MRC report