MBEKI ORDERED TO ISSUE AIDS DRUG

By Mungo Soggot

The Guardian (London) 12 March 2002

Johannesburg -- The South African government suffered the latest in a series of embarrassments over its AIDS policies yesterday when a court ruled that it had to start providing anti-retroviral drugs immediately for HIV-positive pregnant women in state hospitals.

The ruling follows a decision by the Pretoria high court last December which compelled the government to provide the drugs. The government postponed any action after seeking permission to appeal.

But yesterday the high court ruled that although the government could appeal to the constitutional court it must, in the meantime, start administering the drugs in suitably equipped state hospitals.

Anti-retrovirals have been proved to be effective at reducing the transmission of the disease from mother to child. But President Thabo Mbeki's government has refused to acknowledge the drugs' efficacy and dawdled over providing them in state hospitals.

The court's decision coincides with turmoil in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) over the government's response to the disease. At its national executive meeting this week, the ANC will discuss AIDS policy, which has undermined Mr Mbeki's presidency, exposing him to scathing criticism.