1 December 2014
On this day, the world is called upon to reflect on the disconcerting reality that while it has sufficient capacity to end the spread of HIV and to treat it, this is not happening as it should because of the inhuman and uncaring capitalist system that is dominant. Capitalism begets certain negative behaviours, and alienates human capacities including intellectual aptitude socially produced by society. These capacities are appropriated and converted into private property, owned and controlled by a few exploiters at the expense humanity. It is in this context that medicine is commoditised, and made available through exorbitant sale by private enterprise, therefore only accessible to those countries and people who can afford to buy while the rest are left to suffer. This is one of the mechanisms to make profit regardless of human cost.
Were this not the case the world would have long achieved a breakthrough in dealing with HIV and AIDS. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV-AIDS (UNAIDS) has the so-called "fast-track approach" which targets ending the epidemic by 2030. While this is a step in the right direction it is however long overdue. The timeframe in fact lacks the urgency to save millions of lives and is in this context unreasonably prolonged. The continued suffering obviously pleases private capital accumulation forces in the health sector, including the transnational corporations which dominate the world pharmaceutical industry.
Today in South Africa we regrettably remember the dark days of HIV-AIDS denialism. There can be no doubt many lives were lost while this reigned. The SACP sends its heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in part because of this denialism and the stigma that was associated with HIV and AIDS.
Today in South Africa we are however celebrating the massive progress in the fight against HIV-AIDS since the denialism was discarded.
People in South Africa have since started to live longer, and every women giving birth is screened for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. The number of children born with HIV has declined drastically, 66% between 2008 and 2011. This thanks particularly to the African National Congress-led government decisive HIV prevention and treatment programme.
As the October 2013 Joint Review of HIV, Tuberculosis (TB) and PMTCT of HIV study conducted by the government in conjunction with the World Health Organisation shows, our country has "made impressive strides in the implementation of HIV, TB and PMTCT programme… since... 2009". Just in the last five years alone, over 20 million people in South Africa conducted HIV testing. In three years following the 2009 general election the number of people who receive HIV treatment including free treatment offered by the state increased four-fold.
The SACP wishes to warn negative forces such as the DA and its brat-pack axis as well as other opportunist elements who wish to water-down the successes of the President Jacob Zuma ANC-led administration for their narrow self-interests. Our people will NOT be fooled; for they are aware that it was this administration that decisively tackled HIV head-on. For they are aware that the Western Cape under the DA`s Helen Zille, in which the legacy of Colonialism of a Special Type is leading in several fronts, is the only province which bars the youth from working class and poor background to study medicine in Cuba - a country which has one of the best health education and high life expectancy rates in the world.
The SACP would like to take this opportunity offered by the World AIDS Day 2014 Commemoration to call upon everyone to change their behaviour if they have not yet done so. "The Communist Party is calling on everyone to join the fight against HIV and AIDS, first and foremost at the personal level through proper and consistent use of preventive measures as well as through a positive attitude and support to others" said Comrade Solly Mapaila, Second Deputy General Secretary.
"The SACP will continue to mobilise its structures and members and the rest of society to join and intensify the fight. This necessarily includes intensifying, the fight against capitalism; the struggle to shift the paradigm of our national democratic revolution and place it onto a second radical phase; and the struggle for socialism based on the values of solidarity, empathy and care for others", said Mapaila, speaking on behalf of the Party in Johannesburg on Monday 1 December 2014.
Issued by the SACP
Contact:
Alex Mashilo - National Spokesperson
Mobile: 082 9200 308
Office: 011 339 3621/2
Twitter: @2SACP