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Hope for South Africa - at last

Three recent developments are detailed that offer some hope to the nearly 5 million South Africans living with HIV/AIDS: the authority of a South African drug company to develop and produce generic antiretrovirals locally and cheaply via voluntary licensing agreements from larger, global drug companies; the signing of an agreement between South African government and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to provide a grant of US$41 million over 2 years for treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis; and the publishing of a report of the joint Health and Treasury Task Team on Treatment options to supplement comprehensive care for HIV/AIDS in the public health sector was approved at a special Cabinet meeting last week.

The editorial concludes: 'Many South Africans with HIV/AIDS have waited a long time while being repeatedly disappointed by their government leaders, many have died. South Africans are understandably impatient and sceptical. But now there is a real chance to leave the past behind and move swiftly forward to a better future for the people of South Africa. We urge the government to put the recommendations into practice.'

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