Resignation of SA health minister sought

Pressure is mounting on South Africa's Health Minister to resign for suggesting garlic, lemons and African potatoes as alternative HIV treatment.

The BBC reports more than 60 international experts on HIV/Aids have written to South African President Thabo Mbeki, calling his government's health policy "disastrous and pseudo-scientific."

The letter said many in the country, one of the worst AIDS-affected countries, are dying unnecessarily because they cannot get AIDS drugs.

"To have as health minister a person who now has no international respect is an embarrassment to the South African government," the letter said.

The BBC report said President Mbeki has so far stood by Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang but the government has said it will change the way its AIDS message is communicated.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International

Citation: Resignation of SA health minister sought (2006, September 6) retrieved 24 April 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2006-09-resignation-sa-health-minister-sought.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Hundreds of young people urgently needing a mental health bed are being admitted far from home, finds UK study

 shares

Feedback to editors