先週、IRINから下記のニュースが配信されていました。
昨年11月に発表された南ア政府の"Operational Plan for Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Care"(包括的HIV/AIDSケア実施計画)の核心であるARVの供給が遅れていることに対し、TAC(Treatment Action Campaign、治療行動キャンペーン)が声明を発したというニュースです。
ニュースの内容は、次の通りです。
・昨年11月に発表された南ア政府の"Operational Plan for Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Care"(包括的HIV/AIDSケア実施計画)の核心であるARVの供給が遅れている
・南アで現在ARV治療を必要としているPHAは50万人以上いると見られる。そのうち西ケープ州の1500人のみが治療計画によるARV処方を受けている。
・TAC議長ザッキー・アハマットによると、西ケープ州は政治的指導力を発揮しているが、他州は違う。
・西ケープ州政府があげた成果の一つとして、ARVの価格引き下げがある。月額R900 and R1,800 (US 128ドル and 256ドル) だったのを R380 (54ドル)まで引き下げさせた。
・昨年8月、財務省は50万人以上がARV治療を必要としていると報告している。また、2003-04会計年度に38万8000人が新たにエイズを発症すると見積もられている。
・TACのスポークスパーソン、マーク・ヘイウッドは「政府自身の見積もりが上記のようなものであるのに、政府の対応はあまりに遅い」と語った。
・11月にプランが発表されてから2カ月、昨年8月の財務省・保健省レポートから5カ月、さかのぼって財務省・保健省によるARV治療に要するコスト検討委員会設置から18カ月が経つのに、西ケープ州の1500人しか治療を受けていない、とヘイウッドは強調した。
・TACは3月21日の人権デーに、裁判提訴などの行動を取ることを検討していると明らかにした。
・専門家チームと一緒に治療計画の進行状況を調査・検討して、特段の理由もなく、計画が遅滞していることが明らかになったら、計画の緊急実施を迫る法的行動をとる、とヘイウッドは警告した。
・また、ムベキ大統領が国会演説およびラジオでのライブ・インタビューで表明したエイズに関する見解についても注視していることを明らかにした。
SOUTH AFRICA: TAC calls for stronger political leadership
JOHANNESBURG, 11 February (PLUSNEWS) - South Africa's Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) expressed its concern on Wednesday over the delay in the government's rollout of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) - the core of the "Operational Plan for Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Care" released by the cabinet in November last year.
Estimates suggest that over 500,000 people are currently in need of ARVs in South Africa. But only 1,500 people, all in the Western Cape Province, are on treatment at the moment.
What makes the Western Cape different from other provinces, according to TAC leader Zachie Achmat, is political leadership.
"The province has really good leadership ... they simply understand the need for a comprehensive approach that includes ARVs. And that is what they are doing ... they're not just saying it," Achmat told PlusNews.
He pointed to the example of the provincial government's success in bringing down the monthly cost of ARVs from between R900 and R1,800 (US 128ドル and 256ドル) to R380 (54ドル). "This was accomplished by simply putting someone in place to do the job," said Achmat. "This has to be done in every province."
The treasury reported in August last year that 500,000 people needed access to ARVs, and estimated that an additional 388,000 people would develop AIDS in the financial year 2003-04.
"It is this recognition by government that leads to our criticism of the lack of urgency and the lack of political commitment behind this rollout," said TAC spokesperson Mark Heywood.
"As we sit here today, two months after the cabinet published this plan; five months after the treasury and the Health Department published their report with the sanction of the plan; eighteen months after the Health Department and the treasury set up a task team to look at the costs of ARV treatments, only 1,500 people are on treatment in the South African public sector, and those are exclusively in the Western Cape," noted Heywood.
TAC said it would consider legal action if no further progress was made by Human Rights Day, on 21 March.
"We are putting together an expert team to monitor the rollout and if, without good reason, no progress has been made, TAC will consider an urgent legal application to compel the government to comply to the plan that it itself spent 15 months developing, and has not seriously begun," warned Heywood.
TAC said it was also concerned by President Thabo Mbeki's fleeting reference to AIDS in both his state of the nation address and a recent live interview with the national broadcaster. "We are seriously concerned about the lack of concern, compassion and commitment illustrated by both the health minister and, more importantly, the president," Heywood said.
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