A Dark Christmas for AIDS Patients in South Africa

In South Africa, the National Association of People Living with AIDS declared the holiday season "Black Christmas" to highlight the plight of nearly 5 million South Africans living with the disease. "We have a lot of people who are suffering from the disease but yet most of them cannot obtain antiretroviral drugs," said Joe Manciya, a NAPWA spokesperson. To emphasize the concept of "Black Christmas," NAPWA will hold a number of protests against the authorities and companies that produce antiretroviral drugs. "We cannot enjoy our Christmas when our people are dying," Manciya said. AIDS activist Zackie Achmat, who refuses to take antiretrovirals while "most people cannot afford them," said, "If the government continues to fiddle about our requests then you'll find people dying on the steps of parliament. That's how far we are prepared to go in order to get the government to act."

Back to other CDC news for December 27, 2002

Previous Updates