Achmat's voice will be heard at AIDS meeting

Although ailing Treatment Action Campaign leader Zackie Achmat will not address the world's biggest conference on HIV and AIDS in Barcelona on Wednesday in person, his voice will be heard.

Due to deteriorating health, Achmat, one of South Africa's best-known HIV and AIDS activist, has cancelled a trip to address the plenary session of the 14th International AIDS Conference.

A live link-up to the Spanish city was set up for him to deliver his speech, but cancelled when his health continued to deteriorate.

The HIV-positive Achmat's speech on Treatment Access As A Human Right has however, been videotaped and couriered to Barcelona to be played at the conference on Wednesday, said his personal assistant Rukia Cornelius.

Conference organisers have also arranged a live teleconference for him to briefly address the audience before his recorded speech is played, if his health permits.

The TAC leader was responding well to treatment and his condition was stable, s said Cornelius. She said Achmat had seen a pulmonologist who ran tests, and the results are expected later this week.

Achmat, 40, has a recurring lung infection and it is feared he might have tuberculosis.

Cornelius said the lung infection had not healed properly and the specialist would ascertain whether Achmat had TB or pneumonia.

His doctor had advised Achmat to take anti-retroviral medication and to rest as much as possible, said Cornelius.

But Achmat has consistently refused to accept anti-retrovirals until all HIV-infected South Africans have access to such medication in the public sector.