E-drug: Re: Thabo Mbeki on SA AIDS debate (cont'd)
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Dear E-drug members,
I feel that we must be more rational in our approach to HIV issues
because even those with disconsenting views are working towards
the same goal.
However, it was disappointing to note that the good analysts of the
Washington post could 'deliberately' ignore some aspects of
Mbeki's letter. I feel that the following extract forms the hallmark of
the political argument on HIV/AIDS from the African perspective
and is so clear to be ignored unless someone chose to do so.
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This SAFA-AFP report quotes Dr. Coll Seck as saying: 'In
Southern Africa, the prevalence of the (HIV) infection has increased
so much in five years that this region could, if the epidemic
continues to spread at this rate, see its life expectancy decline to
47 by 2005.'
(Interestingly, the five years to which Dr. Coll Seck refers coincide
closely with the period since our liberation from apartheid, white
minority rule in 1994).
Again as you are aware, whereas in the West HIV-AIDS is said to
be largely homosexually transmitted, it is reported that in Africa,
including our country, it is transmitted heterosexually.
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Members, whereas many, including me, may accept that HIV is
the cause of AIDS, or better put, HIV is associated with AIDS, and
therefore focus our efforts on the search and use of drugs to treat
and prevent HIV/AIDS, it would be unscientific to stop anyone of
the Mbeki type from identifying the origin of this disease just
because it is a sensitive matter or that Western powers will be
unhappy.
According to sound scientific principle, understanding of the
mechanism by which a disease is caused is a prerequisite to
development of effective PREVENTIVE measures or eradication
programs and TREATMENT remedies. Aware that the current
methods of HIV prevention by abstaining from sex or use of barrier
methods and drugs or vaccines are geared at prevention of
transmission from man to man, and that, to the best of our
knowledge, these are the best we have, the choice to use these
methods by government or individuals is a subject of discussion,
particularly with regard to cost. However, this should not blind us
from the fundamental issue, i.e., the need to eradicate the virus.
There is a need to stop the infective organism, in this case the HIV
virus, from infecting man or our population, and this will not be
possible until we understand its origin. The current theories have
remained theories, implying they are not exhaustive and perhaps
something was deliberately left out. As such, the search for origin
of HIV must continue, just as the search for drugs against HIV
should. Mind you, even if the answer is not found today, it doesn't
mean it will never be known. Most important, however, is for every
body involved, especially scientists and politicians, to understand
their limits or role in this search.
The HIV epidemic is so recent that tracing the pattern of infectivity
(epidemiology) is one way to the solution. Here, Mbeki's
association of emergence of HIV epidemic in South Africa and the
fall of Apertheid should not be swept under the carpet, particularly
by loose scientific reasoning. It rhymes with other arguements on
the appearance of HIV in central & East Africa in the early
seventies, at a time when most African countries had achieved
independence, and their radical and carismatic post-colonial
leaders voicing independent opinions and fighting the apartheid govt
in SA. Today, a lot, and yet less, has been revealed on the
apertheid South African biological/chemical war weaponary that
was geared at eliminating Africans. Interestingly, as usual, this has
not attracted the Western world as has been in Iraq and Bosnia.
Therefore, the question still stands, is there a conspiracy to wipe
Africans off the earth? Who infected South Africans within a short
period for the HIV epidemic to reach this proportion? Is it true that
South Africans (only Blacks) relate so much (sexually) to other
Africans such that HIV is a result of the post apertheid
celebrations? If so, how do we relate this to the widely
acclaimed Black South Africa xenophobia for fellow Africans?
How does the rate of infectivity in South Africa differ from the rest of
Africa where the HIV 'started' for HIV numbers in South Africa to
overtake or equate to it neighbours?
Ladies and gentlemen, the last paragraph or questions can only be
addressed or coordinated via and clarified by no better office than
Mbeki's office, together with other African leaders. They have the
national intelligence etc, therefore they know more than what is on
the surface. As scientist, I only wish I could get more drugs to save
the innocent children before they are born, and that the war against
HIV must continue at all fronts without leaving anybody behind.
Best regards,
Prof. A. Walubo
Department of Pharmacology,
University of the Free State.
waluboa@frm.uovs.ac.za
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