TAC Announcements 23 October 2001 --------------------------------- * The mother-to-child transmission prevention (mtctp) court case has been set down for the 26th of November. There will be a march in Cape Town on this day to demand that the government implements a country-wide mtctp programme. Details are: Venue: Keizergracht Street, District 6, Cape Town Date: 26 November Time: March begins at 13:00. Pre-march activities start at 11:00. March will end at 14:00 outside Parliament. What to bring: A cardboard tombstone, cross (or similar) bearing the name of someone who has died of HIV/AIDS. We request that our international supporters fax the Minister of Health asking her to settle the court case with TAC according to the demands in our Notice of Motion (available on our website, www.tac.org.za). Her fax number is: 27 12 325 5526. * Pretoria, 26 November: Demonstration at Pretoria High Court for Mother-to- Child Transmission Prevention -- Details will follow. * Gauteng Interfaith Service for Mother-to-Child Transmission Prevention: 1 December, 2001, Catholic Cathedral, corner Nugget and Saratoga avenues, Johannesburg City Centre, 12:00-14:00 (preceded by march from Library Gardens starting at 10:00.) * KZN Interfaith Service for Mother-to-Child Transmission Prevention: 1 November 2001, 12:30-13:30, Gandhi-Luthuli Hall (West Street Entrance of City Hall, Durban). Keynote Speaker: Professor Jerry Coovadia * Presidential spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama is spreading misinformation about TAC and antiretroviral treatment. Contrary to his insinuations, TAC has never taken or used money from drug companies. It is worth pointing out that the Minister of Health has a bursary in her name sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline and that the government has not applied for voluntary or compulsory licenses despite our requests to the Department of Trade and Industry to do so. Furthermore, the US scientists that Ngonyama quotes to back up his derision of antiretroviral medicines believe that antiretroviral medicines should be used. One of these researchers has written to ANC Today to request that these misquotes and misunderstandings by the ANC newsletter, which Ngonyama refers to, be stopped. * The TAC website has been updated substantially. Also, the search engine is much better than it used to be. The electronic newsletters page now contains a description of each newsletter. Jonathan Berger's thesis on TRIPs is available on the Documents page. Go to www.tac.org.za. * TAC now has a national office. Contact details are as follows: Executive Secretary: Nonkosi Khumalo Postal Address: PO Box 74, Nonkqubela, 7793 Tel: (27) 21 364 5609, Fax: (27) 21 364 6653 * Community Health Media Trust (CHMT) have produced an HIV/AIDS Treatment Literacy Series. CHMT work very closely with TAC and we are proud to be associated with their work. Here is a description: The Beat It! HIV/AIDS Treatment Literacy Series is a comprehensive and accessible training resource for anybody involved in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. This series draws on the previously broadcast television magazine programme, Beat It!, which was the first programme on South African television to target the HIV positive community. Beat It! Emphasised treatment as an essential part of our prevention efforts. The most recent series was watched by over 3,5 million viewers on e.tv last year. The Beat It! HIV/AIDS Treatment Literacy Series features the best of the two broadcast series and provides HIV positive people, their partners, family, and friends with useful information on how to live better with HIV/AIDS. This invaluable resource can be used by any organisation in training: Unions who wish to train their members; Businesses with a commitment to training their employees; Non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations involved in AIDS education; Trainers and volunteer health care workers; Resource centres and libraries. The 11-part Beat It! HIV/AIDS Treatment Literacy Series covers many issues affecting people living with HIV/AIDS, and ranges in scope from the need for good nutrition to sex and the positive person, to human rights, including exclusive interviews with people who have won court cases against unfair discrimination. The Beat It! HIV/AIDS Treatment Literacy Series will be available from the last week of November. CHMT would appreciate its inclusion in any media that your publication is planning, particularly around World AIDS Day. Should you have any queries or require further information, please contact Rhoda Isaacs on: Tel: (021) 788 9163 Tel/Fax: (021) 788 3973 Email: idoljack@iafrica.com