The South Africa's government openly challenged the international AIDS control during the regime of President Mbeki, which presents a paradox of denialism; thus leading to the loss of many lives in South Africa. The fundamental disjuncture existing between South Africa's identity, and the international AIDS control regime is deeply rooted in South Africa’s leadership negative past experiences with the public health. The health sector in Africa is intervened through attempts to forge new African Renaissance-inspired self-identity with some leaders. Moreover, the whole idea is developed with the counter-epistemic community that offers scientific expertise and policy recommendations for South African government alternatives on how to control AIDS.
South Africa is one of the third world countries that are faced with various challenges, especially providing health care to its citizens. The outbreak of HIV/AIDS in South Africa was not taken seriously as a disease that affects the social welfare of the citizen. HIV/AIDS is an epidemic in the world, and South Africa is among the countries that are highly affected due to the poor policies put in place (Fourie and Melissa, 245). There was a rejection of the basic facts and concepts that were undisputed and well-supported parts of the HIV|AIDS scientific medication in South Africa. The denialism in South Africa had a negative impact during the regime of President Thabo Mbeki. The policies that were implemented under the government of Mbeki were directly responsible for the deaths, numerous people, which would have been prevented.
The government, through the ministry of health, urged the patients to avoid the use of drugs and therapies from the West. Mbeki rejected western medicine, arguing that AIDS was caused by the inadequate nourishment, poverty, and general ill-health. Consequently, the government of Mbeki came up with the option of the alleviation of poverty in Africa as a way of fighting the spread of AIDS. However, following the continued increase of the number of deaths, the government introduced different alternative remedies. For instance, it advocated the use of traditional medicines such as eating the beetroot and garlic for the treatment of HIV|AIDS instead of encouraging the patient to use the Western medication. In fact, Mbeki was one of the AIDS denialits, since he was leading the campaign against the use of scientific medication. For instance, the president delayed the introduction of ARV medication to be used by the patients arguing that ADIS was caused by general-ill health related diseases and ARVs would affect the pregnancy of women (Specter, 140).
The reasons the president used to support his policies against the Western medication were largely based on the theory of Peter Dusberg. The theory argued that AIDS was caused by long-term use of recreational drugs and antiretroviral medications. Peter Dusberg further argued that AIDS was caused by a viral infection that could be prevented, but not through sophisticated and expensive medication drugs. Therefore, according to President Mbeki and his advisers AIDS will only be cured by the alleviation of poverty in the county, but not the use of expensive western medication (Fourie and Melissa, 255).
The dissident science in South Africa contends that the government was the major obstacle in the provision of medication to AIDS patients. Unlike South Africa, Botswana has adopted the use of ARVs and the patients benefiting from AIDS medication programs has led to the reduction of the number of deaths caused by HIV/AIDS (Specter, 145). The dissident argues that if the president had accepted the use of the Western ARVs, the number of deaths from AIDS in South Africa could have been reduced significantly. Since the main objectives were to eradicate AIDS and other disease in South Africa, Mbeki's leadership should have adapted as appropriate policies and programs and implementing them to fight against AIDS in South Africa (Epstein 116). The dissident argues that the present government did not adopt an effective policy that shows the number of HIV/AIDS disease case increases.
The origin of the Africa perception about AIDS and racist myth is seen as the way the African leaders politicizing the AIDS epidemic in Africa. The African leaders, such as Mbeki, argue that science has contributed little to the understanding of the infection and spread of AIDS (Epstein 124). In fact, as mentioned above Mbeki’s opinion was that AIDS was caused by poverty and general-illness and can only be eliminated through the development of the country. Nevertheless, the Africans had little knowledge about AIDS, and continued to practice cultures that facilitated its spread.
Apart from the African myths about AIDS, there were external political and economic circumstances that led to the African leaders resisting racism from the Western counties (Epstein 116). In fact, the politics of the issue of AIDS emerged when the African leaders were forming modern pan-African movement and were experiencing international pressure on the same as neo-colonialism in Africa. Furthermore, most of the African leaders saw Western medication donations as a way of trying to use Africans to test AIDS patients with use of ARVs drugs (Specter and Michael-155). That is why, for instance, President Mbeki was resisting and reject the use of western medication such ARVs to treat a patient with HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, the South African government has spent a considerable amount time on the fringe debate whether HIV as the real cause of AIDS.
However, more recently the government of South Africa has accepted multispectral approach. This approach demands that all the sectors of the government institutions be fully engaged in effective response to prevent HIV/AIDS. For instance, there has been a positive improvement after the Southern African government discovered the need to start the campaign to fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic has changed with marked rapidity (Fourie and Melissa 267).
In conclusion, with the challenge of the AIDS epidemic in Africa, the African leaders have come up with strategies for stabilizing, reconstructing and implementation techniques to prevent HIV infections in Africa. The Renaissance framework in Africa it offers an alternative to prevailing western concepts of eliminating the cultures, practices that are seen to help in spreading HIV/AIDS (Epstein 117). Thus, currently both the government and private sectors are campaigning against those cultures as measures of reducing HIV infections. President Mbeki was rather convinced that the existing conditions of the AIDS epidemic in Africa for the formulation of the practical program such as setting up fully equipped research HIV/AIDS facilities in hospitals as once step towards of controlling and eliminating the epidemics of AIDS in the world. Hoping for international cooperation, one day there will be a cure for HIV to prevent loss of life caused by HIV/AIDS.
Works Cited
Fourie, Pieter, and Melissa Meyer. The Politics of Aids Denialism: South Africa's Failure to Respond. Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate Pub, 2010. Internet resource.
Specter, Michael. Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Harms the Planet and Threatens Our Lives. New York: Penguin Books, 2010. Print.
Epstein, Helen. The Invisible Cure: Africa, the West and the Fight against Aids. London: Penguin, 2007. Print.
