U.S. Medical Students Condemn Dismissal Of South African Deputy Minister Of Health

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: HIV / AIDS;  Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 06 Sep 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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The American Medical Student Association, the nation's largest, independent medical student organization joins numerous other groups in condemning last month's dismissal of Deputy-Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge from the South African government. Her dismissal comes at a unique time given the recent establishment of a new HIV/AIDS National Strategic Plan in South Africa.

South Africa suffers from the largest HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world; it has also historically suffered a high level of ignorance and hostility on the part of government leaders toward science-based HIV/AIDS policy. President Thabo Mbeki, who has formerly endorsed AIDS denialist positions and Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, infamous for her suggestion of using fruits and vegetables to treat AIDS instead of "toxic" antiretroviral medications, have set a poor precedent for HIV policy in years past. Madlala-Routledge used her time in office to push a strong HIV program, ultimately resulting in the April passage of the new HIV/AIDS National Strategic Plan (NSP). Deputy-President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka joined her in leading the government effort to create the NSP, which was endorsed by a wide range of interested parties as a firm step forward in addressing the raging HIV epidemic in South Africa. It seems that her dismissal is linked in part to her impressive work on this topic, and to the contradictory stance she took relative to the President and Health Minister.

The world press has roundly condemned Madlala-Routledge's dismissal as a farce, as have leading medical journals such as The Lancet, Science, and Nature. The Treatment Action Campaign, AIDS Law Project, and South African HIV-AIDS Clinicians Society have joined other South African HIV advocacy groups in asking for the Deputy-Minister's reinstatement in addition to a firm commitment on the part of President Mbeki to implement the NSP in its current form. They also ask that Deputy-President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka be allowed to continue her work unhampered, and have renewed calls for the dismissal of Health Minister Tshabalala-Msimang.

"Deputy-Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge has been an inspirational leader in the fight against HIV and AIDS in South Africa," says Dr. Vishal Patel, AMSA Global AIDS Fellow. "Her dismissal undermines this progress and suggests a disregard for evidence-based medicine and treatment in one of the hardest hit regions in the world."

About the American Medical Student Association

The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), with more than a half-century history of medical student activism, is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Founded in 1950, AMSA is a student-governed, non-profit organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. With more than 68,000 members, including medical and premedical students, residents and practicing physicians, AMSA is committed to improving medical training as well as advancing the profession of medicine. AMSA focuses on four strategic priorities, including universal healthcare, disparities in medicine, diversity in medicine and transforming the culture of medical education. To learn more about AMSA, our strategic priorities, or joining the organization, please visit us online at http://www.amsa.org/.

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