This is an archive of the Treatment Action Campaign's public documents from December 1998 until October 2008. I created this website because the TAC's website appears unmaintained and people were concerned that it
was becoming increasingly hard to find important documents.

The menu items have been slightly edited and a new stylesheet applied to the site. But none of the documents have been edited, not even for minor errors. The text appears on this site as obtained from the Internet Archive.

The period covered by the archive encompassed the campaign for HIV medicines, the civil disobedience campaigns, the Competition Commission complaints, the 2008 xenophobic violence and the PMTCT, Khayelitsha health workers and Matthias Rath court cases.

 
Treatment Action Campaign

News Items for 2003

10 December 2003

Today, International Human Rights Day, is TAC's 5th birthday.
A History of TAC (pdf) TAC Annual Report for 2003 (pdf)

A few weeks ago the government revealed its operational ARV treatment plan. Now we celebrate five years of constant struggle with the announcement of a great victory for people living with HIV/AIDS and for public health - a momentous settlement agreement reached at the South African Competition Commission between pharmaceutical companies and AIDS activists.

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), COSATU, CEPPWAWU, the AIDS Consortium, four people living with HIV/AIDS and four health-care workers have entered into settlement agreements with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Boehringer Ingelheim (BI). In signing these agreements, AIDS activists have now concluded their complaint against GSK and BI. The terms of the agreements go well beyond what could conceivably have been won by pursuing the prosecution of the complaint under the Competition Act.

The effect of the agreements with GSK and BI is that the Clinton Foundation deal that was announced on 23 October 2003 can be implemented in South Africa and other sub-Saharan African countries immediately. The Clinton Foundation deal has ensured that four generic companies will sell triple-drug antiretroviral therapy to governments in sub-Saharan Africa at US $140 per patient per year.

2 December 2003

TAC Responds to American Friends Service Committee Nobel Peace Prize Nomination

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has nominated the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and its chairperson Zackie Achmat for the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.

28 November 2003

TAC Activities Around World AIDS Day

20 November 2003

TAC WELCOMES CABINET ADOPTION OF TREATMENT PLAN - 'HOPE FOR MILLIONS'

On 19 November 2003, the government announced the adoption and details of the Operational Plan for Comprehensive Treatment and Care for HIV and AIDS. The plan envisages that "within a year, there will be at least one [antiretroviral] service point in every health district across the country, and within five years, one service point in every local municipality." [Cabinet Statement, 19 November 2003]. The plan also commits government to investing substantial finance into "upgrading our national healthcare system" via "recruitment of thouands of professionals and a very large training programme to ensure nurses, doctors, laboratory technicians, counsellors and other health workers have the knowledge and the skills to ensure safe, ethical and effective use of medicines." Government has also committed to a massive public education campaign, improved prevention efforts and improved treatment of opportunistic infections.

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) welcomes the Cabinet decision. This is a wonderful day for all in South Africa.

NOTE: This newsletter also contains a very important letter to all TAC members and activists: "The way forward for the TAC"

13 November 2003

TAC Welcomes HIV Spending in Budget But Urges Cabinet to Release Operational Treatment Plan

11 November 2003

24 October 2003

Statement by the AIDS Law Project (ALP) on HIV/AIDS in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)

16 October 2003

Competition Commission Finds GSK and BI in Contravention of the Competition Act

6 October 2003

TAC Receives Nelson Mandela Health and Human Rights Award at Ceremony in Johannesburg Tonight

2 October 2003

1 October 2003

Latest newsletter added: GARPP and TAC Treatment Project Request Voluntary License from Boehringer Ingelheim

19 September

TAC hands over submission to antiretroviral operational plan task team. (Word Document) (Some of the annexures)

8 September 2003

8 August 2003

Newsletter added: TAC Welcomes Cabinet Statement Committing to Antiretroviral Treatment Rollout

1-3 August 2003

2nd TAC National Congress to be held in Durban

14 July 2003

Newsletter added: TAC releases details of government costing study

1 July 2003

Newsletter added: Where we stand with government

26 June 2003

Newsletter added: TAC Chair to address Elton John AIDS Foundation, and statements and memoranda

24 May 2003

24 April 2003

TAC has called for an International Day of Action. Please see the attached list of actions.

10 April 2003

Three newsletters added:

09 April 2003

This afternoon TAC activist and poet Edward Mabunda died of AIDS related illnesses.

This is a link to a message that Edward recorded shortly before hedied. largewav file, 600K
Here is the transcript.

Photoof Edward at the March 14 February.

08 April 2003

Website has a new look and organization. A few updates were made and the new OpportunisticInfection Posters have been posted.

19 March 2003

TAC explains why we are embarking on a civil disobedience campaign.

14 February 2003

March for HIV/AIDS Treatment - Cape Town Civic Centre, 14 February. Event begins at 11am. March begins at 12pm.

News items for 2001-2002