babble home
rabble.ca - news for the rest of us
today's active topics


Post New Topic  Post A Reply
FAQ | Forum Home
  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» babble   » current events   » international news and politics   » South African leader defends health minister

Email this thread to someone!    
Author Topic: South African leader defends health minister
Snuckles
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2764

posted 04 September 2007 02:07 PM      Profile for Snuckles   Author's Homepage        Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
By CLARE NULLIS, Associated Press Writer Sat Sep 1, 5:28 PM ET

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - South Africa's president called critics of his embattled health minister "wild animals" in a remarkable display of support for a woman decried by AIDS activists for advocating beets and garlic as remedies for the disease.

His defense of Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang came as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel laureate often regarded as the moral conscience of the nation, said in a speech Friday that the Health Ministry "has presided over the vast deterioration in health standards of our land."

Tshabalala-Msimang has been condemned at home and abroad for her unorthodox views on the AIDS virus, which has infected an estimated 5.4 million South Africans — the highest number for any country in the world.

At news conferences, she has made plain her mistrust of antiretroviral medicines, repeatedly espousing a diet heavy on garlic, beetroot, lemon and olive oil as more effective in treating HIV/AIDS. The comments have earned her ridicule and the nicknames "Dr. Beetroot" and "Dr. Garlic."

South Africa's stand at the international AIDS conference in Canada last year included garlic and other foodstuffs, prompting international scientists to write an unprecedented joint letter of protest to President Thabo Mbeki.

For years, Mbeki has been accused of downplaying the extent of the AIDS crisis and has steadfastly stood by his health minister.

But his weekly ANC Today online newsletter, published Friday, took his support to new heights. Mbeki said history would honor the minister as "one of the pioneer architects of a South African public health system constructed to ensure that we achieve the objective of health for all our people, and especially the poor."


Read it here.

[ 04 September 2007: Message edited by: Snuckles ]


From: Hell | Registered: Jun 2002  |  IP: Logged
social democrat
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 9108

posted 04 September 2007 04:48 PM      Profile for social democrat        Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
History has made the ANC the permanent natural governing party of South Africa. The ANC is politically threatened by no-other party. That leaves only the ugly combination of ignorance and arrogance as rationale for such bad policies on such a pressing national issue.
From: Toronto | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged

All times are Pacific Time  

Post New Topic  Post A Reply Close Topic    Move Topic    Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
Hop To:

Contact Us | rabble.ca | Policy Statement

Copyright 2001-2008 rabble.ca