South African Government Approves AIDS Drugs for Sexual Assault Victims

In a major shift in policy, the South African government announced that sexual assault victims would be given access to AIDS drugs. Previously, the government argued that the drugs' safety remained unproven, and ignored pleas that the drugs be provided to rape victims. In a statement issued after its meeting Wednesday, the Cabinet said it would try to provide sexual assault victims with a comprehensive care package, including counseling and testing for STDs, pregnancy and HIV. "In this regard, survivors will be counseled on the use of antiretrovirals (AIDS drugs) as a preventive drug for HIV so that they make an informed choice," the Cabinet said.

"It's good news beyond belief," said Zackie Achmat, chair of the Treatment Action Campaign, an AIDS activists group. Earlier Wednesday, South African hospitals and clinics were given the go-ahead to dispense a key AIDS drug that can help prevent HIV-positive women from passing the virus to their children at birth. A Health Department circular sent to public health facilities outlined the circumstances under which the drug can be prescribed and the procedure involved.

Health care providers wanting to distribute nevirapine had to apply in writing and have facilities to test patients for HIV and counsel women so they could make an informed choice about taking the drug, the department said. In addition, the Cabinet said a presidential task team on AIDS would be established under Deputy President Jacob Zuma's office and would examine ways of strengthening AIDS programs.

The government had argued the safety of the drug nevirapine remained unproven and tried to restrict its distribution to 18 pilot sites, despite studies showing it could reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission by up to 50 percent. On April 4, the Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, upheld a Pretoria High Court order that nevirapine be made available immediately at all health facilities with the capacity to administer it, pending an appeal in May.

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