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AFRO-NETS> HIV/AIDS: UNAIDS Worried About South African Tactics
HIV/AIDS: UNAIDS Worried About South African Tactics
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South African President Thabo Mbeki's decision to seek advice from a
scientist and a history professor who believe HIV does not cause AIDS
has sparked a firestorm and raised fears that the country's soaring
infection rate will climb higher. Mbeki and his officials spoke with
US biochemist David Rasnick and US professor of African history
Charles Geshekter as he was considering strategies to combat the vi-
rus, which infects more than 12% of South African adults.
Rasnick argues that AIDS is caused by recreational drug use and mal-
nutrition, not HIV. "At first, we were thinking we would just ignore
it, but now we think this confusion can really undermine all the ef-
forts people have made to prevent this disease," said Dr. Awa Coll-
Seck, director of policy, strategy and research for UNAIDS. "People
will reassure themselves, perhaps, that they can continue risky be-
havior because HIV is not the real cause of AIDS" (Rachel Swarns, New
York Times, 19 Mar).
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Holly Ladd
mailto:[email protected]
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