BuaNews,
Access
to anti-AIDS drugs for people living HIVAIDS in
Deputy
President Jacob Zuma and the AIDS drugs lobby group, the Treatment Action
Campaign (TAC), in a meeting in
The
meeting follows TAC's call for a universal therapy for people living with the
disease, including a national treatment plan; setting a deadline 01 December for
government to respond accordingly.
Both
parties have so far agreed to consult even further in this regard, after Mr Zuma
pointed out that the time frames 'might not be feasible'.
In a statement, the two said the discussions centred on government's commitment of the Five-year Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS and commitments government made this year in the fight against the pandemic.
Early
this month, in its campaign against the disease, government announced its update
following the commitments it made in April this year.
In
that month, Government decided to provide a comprehensive package of support,
including antiretroviral therapy for survivors of sexual assault. In this regard
it announced protocols were distributed to provinces by May and implementation
had started, with additional funding provided.
Recognising
that antiretroviral therapy was central to improving the health conditions of
those living with the pandemic, government last week said a technical task team
of Treasury and the Department of Health was working on lowering drug costs and
other cost implications of an expanded response to the impact of HIV/AIDS on all
sectors of society.
'The
Deputy President and the TAC delegation also agreed to work tirelessly to give
all infected people hope, and to strengthen the partnership to develop good
quality, affordable and accessible healthcare system for all people, especially
the poor,' the statement said.