On
3rd Degree this Tuesday:
Episode Title: Denial
Broadcast date: 6 July 2010
Teaser ...10 years ago, the seeds were sown for one of the deepest human tragedies of post-apartheid South Africa - by none other than our president at the time and his minister of health.
Together, President Thabo Mbeki and Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang questioned the scientific truth that a sexually-transmitted virus caused AIDS. It was nothing less than state-sponsored AIDS denialism.
If the link was denied, one could overlook the behavioural patterns that fuel the spread of HIV. If the link wasn’t proven, then there was no need to roll out anti-HIV medicine.
The two leaders courted denialists and quacks from around the world, delaying the speedy roll-out of proven treatment, while death swept through our cities, villages and townships.
Scientists say that over 330 000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses during the Mbeki era - some of these deaths could have been prevented by the timely and purposeful roll-out of life-prolonging anti-retrovirals.
Tonight 3rd Degree tells the personal stories of mothers and children who came to understand that denial was no way to treat the virus that ripped their lives apart.
3rd Degree is on e.tv on Tuesdays at 21h30.