South Africa to Draw a Line Under Years of Denial About HIV/AIDS

On Thursday, South Africa's new health minister promised to "get things right" by treating the country's HIV/AIDS epidemic seriously after years of gross government neglect.

"You don't have to be a health expert to understand the challenge this country is facing when it comes to the AIDS pandemic," said Barbara Hogan, who was appointed health minister last week by newly inaugurated President Kgalema Motlanthe.

Former President Thabo Mbeki, who held office from 1999 to last month, was long condemned for making comments suggesting HIV is not the cause of AIDS. He and former Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang were criticized for dragging their feet on rolling out a public AIDS treatment program. Even after antiretroviral drugs became affordable in 2002, the minister continued extolling garlic, lemon, and beets as remedies for the disease.

Hogan promised she will avoid "cheap solutions" and "political games." "It is critically important that those who need treatment are able to get it," she said. "I am passionate about getting things right. We will as a matter of urgency examine all the gaps in delivery."

Since 1999, hundreds of thousands of South Africans have died of AIDS-related causes, and today there are 5.5 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the country.

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