Chairperson, the ACDP expresses its sincere condolences to the hon Minister and to the family and friends of Dr Molefi Sefularo.
The ACDP put a question to the hon Minister on 9 March 2010 regarding the allegations that the swine flu or H1N1 vaccine is potentially high risk. I was not quarrelling with the hon Minister, but giving the Minister an opportunity to reassure people that their concerns were misplaced. But the Minister chose not to.
We were grateful, however, that the campaign then appeared to be postponed but now we hear that the campaign has gone ahead, this month, and hundreds of thousands have been targeted. No assurances have been given that allegations have been investigated, despite further questions to the hon Minister.
Doctors and scientists have said that the vaccine has been insufficiently tested and can cause dangerous neurological side effects. It has been implicated in causing abortion and sterility and the dangers to children are not yet known. It is said to contain 500 times the acceptable mercury level for drinking water.
In addition, accusations that drug companies manipulated the World Health Organisation into downgrading its criteria for a pandemic form the basis of an enquiry being conducted by the Strasbourg-based human-rights group, the Council of Europe. Professor Ulrich Keil, a WHO adviser on heart disease, said the decision to downgrade criteria has led to a gigantic misallocation of health budgets. Since the vaccine was withdrawn in the United States, some suspected it would be sold to Third World countries to recoup financial losses.
The ACDP is concerned that the South African public may be at risk, as no assurances have been given that these serious allegations and warnings have been investigated. Hon Minister, what plans are in place to ensure that the public is well informed regarding risks before this immunisation campaign begins - from what you've said, it has begun - and, of course, has this been budgeted for?
The ACDP welcomes reports that from this month, the new health department policy is that infants born to HIV-positive mothers will receive the anti- HIV drug nevirapine from birth to six weeks or for as long as they are breastfed. In addition, we understand that new mothers will be assessed to see whether they are eligible for lifelong antiretroviral therapy before they are discharged. This is good news.
The ACDP is pleased to see the aggressive stance being taken in engaging all of South Africa's health care organisations and workers in the HCT or HIV counselling and testing campaign, and in the drive against TB. Has the requirement that all health care workers in the public sector routinely offer HCT to all people who enter a health facility for any ailment been adequately budgeted for and are measures in place to ensure payment for private-sector service within reasonable timeframes?
Past underperformance of the HIV conditional grant, due largely to failures of the provinces to adequately fund the remainder of the health care system, is still a concern. [Time expired.] Thank you.