Proposal for HIV/AIDS funding returned

Health Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang yesterday put the cat among the pigeons by announcing that the proposal from Kwazulu-Natal for R800 million from the United Nations Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS has been returned to South Africa for consideration by the South African National AIDS Advisory Council (SANAC).

Speaking at the launch of the eThekwini Municipality AIDS Council, Tshabalala-Msimang queried the motives of the Global Fund in allowing a seperate application from Kwazulu-Natal, in addition to the national application. She said that the fund had a policy whereby the national application was regarded as the official one.

The minister said the application, a joint effort involving the provincial Health Department, the Nelson Mandela Medical School of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, would be considered by SANAC, and a decision made later. She was unable to say how long the process would take.

The proposal from Kwazulu-Natal has been a controversial one. There was an uproar in medical circles in the province earlier this year when Kwazulu-Natal was asked to withdraw its application to the fund on the grounds that it had not gone through SANAC and official channels.

Spokesmen for the Kwazulu-Natal bid explained that SANAC had not been properly structured at the time of application to the Global Fund. In addition, the time-frame for submissions had been very short.

Professor Umesh Lalloo, Professor of Medicine at the Medical School and spokesperson for the provincial application to the Global Fund, said yesterday that he viewed the Minister's announcement as a "positive" development.

Tshabalala-Msimang reiterated her concern yesterday about the side-effects of anti-retroviral drugs. She said she was not saying that anti-retrovirals should not be used - she was concerned about their toxicity and possible negative reactions.