Doing what is right at all levels

Doing what is right at all levels
30th November 2014 | Spotlight

A number of people have over the years played a role in the development of the TAC and our battle for antiretrovirals. There are too many to mention. In the following pages a small group of people who played a role in one way or another and represent various constituencies, share their recollections of the past and their dreams for the future.

Dr Brian Brink is Chief Medical Officer at Anglo American plc has been at the forefront of shaping this mining company’s response to HIV. He believes in the work of the TAC and the role of civil society on the response to the HIV epidemic. He also serves on the SECTION27 board.
Dr Brian Brink is Chief Medical Officer at Anglo American plc has been at the forefront of shaping this mining company’s response to HIV. He believes in the work of the TAC and the role of civil society on the response to the HIV epidemic. He also serves on the SECTION27 board.

First and foremost, I marvel at the way in which access to affordable and effective treatment has transformed the AIDS epidemic. From a situation of fear, stigma, discrimination and despair, we can now face the future with the certain knowledge that HIV can be beaten. The scientific advances that have made this possible, in a relatively short period of time, are nothing short of miraculous. Whilst we don’t yet have a cure, I am optimistic that we are getting closer to a long-term, sustainable solution.

Sadly, we have not made the same progress in protecting the human rights of those vulnerable to HIV, including their right to health. I am amazed at how hard it is to defend human rights, especially against institutional disregard and societal indifference. Fortunately there are civil society organisations that have had the courage to stand up for what is right and to never let go. SECTION27 and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) have been beacons of hope to countless numbers of people affected by HIV. But, there is so much more to do, especially for vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. I remain deeply concerned about the disproportionate burden of HIV infection borne by young women and girls – something is seriously wrong with a society that tolerates the gender based exploitation, abuse and violence that are the root cause of this problem.

HIV disease predominantly affects people in the prime of their working lives. It has been gratifying to see how most employers, particularly in the private sector, have responded to the epidemic, by embracing the scientific advances and making the right investments to ensure the health of their workforces and the communities associated with their operations. This is something to celebrate. Those few employers that have lagged behind should be shown up for their lack of insight and poor business practice.

Over the past 10 years it has become abundantly clear that a successful and sustained response to both HIV and AIDS requires significant strengthening of the health systems in developing countries. South Africa is no exception; there is a huge and intolerable inequality between the public and private health systems. We have to find a way to ensure that all citizens have access to decent healthcare facilities, well trained and conscientious healthcare workers, a reliable supply chain for medicines and other healthcare commodities, as well as good governance, financial management and modern health information systems. HIV infection today is a chronic disease, like so many others that can be successfully managed in a well-functioning healthcare system. The challenge is to make decent healthcare consistently available to the entire population.

So our success over the past 10 years is not only about HIV and AIDS. The determination and perseverance of our response to the epidemic has shown what seems impossible can actually be done. That has been an enormous contribution to the health of our nation. We must go forward with the resolve to build on our success and progressively realise the right to health for all.