By Lynne Altenroxel
The Star, 8 January 2003, page 1 lead second edition.

Controversial Health Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is to host an outspoken dissident who belives that HIV does not cause Aids, is not a infectious disease and is not sexually transmitted.

Dr Roberto Giraldo, a member of President Mbeki's Aids Advisory Panel, has been invited, in the name of Tshabalala-Msimang, to address a health ministers' forum of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on January 20 in Pretoria.

Giraldo is scheduled to address 14 health ministers from the SADC on "Nutritional therapy for the treatment and prevention of Aids". This is the same topic he presented at a function organised by Health Department officials in November, when he told delegates that Aids was the result of nutritional deficiencies and could be "effectively prevented, treated and overcome" by a healthy diet.

"However, it seems that propaganda spread by pharmaceutical companies to commercialise anti-retoriviral medication has prevented these ideas from being widely accepted, despite the toxicity of these medications," Giraldo said.

All invitations to the forum are sent in the name of Tshabalala-Msimang, who is chairperson of the SADC health sector.

The SADC event comes as she faces another court battle over the anti-Aids drug, Nevirapine.

This time, she and Mpumalanga Health MEC Sibongile Manana are facing a case of contempt of court for allegedly failing to obey last year's Constitutional Court ruling which ordered the government to provide the drug to HIV-positive pregnant women.

In the months following the ruling Tshabalala-Msimang continued to argue that the drug was toxic. Although she is a medical doctor, she has never openly stated that HIV causes Aids, although each time the question is raised, she states that the government's Aids policy is based on the "premise" that Aids is caused by the virus.

Tshabalala-Msimang was nicknamed Dr No for her vociferous opposition to the provision of Nevirapine.

Giraldo's speech at the November event included references to his 1997 book entitled: Aids and stressors: Aids is neither an infectious disease not is sexually transmitted. It is a toxic-nutritional syndrome caused by the alarming worldwide increment of immunological stressor agents.

A list of questions was faxed to the minister yesterday but she is on an overseas visit.

In a written response, the Health Department said "Presenters were decided on by the health ministers because of their expertise in, and extensive knowledge about, their respective fields related to nutrition and HIV/Aids.

"This is not a meeting that was called or organised by the Department of Health, but by the SADC Health Sector Co-Ordinating Unit, in conjunction with the relevant SADC desks in the region."

Aids activists have been stunned by the move, which comes after two cabinet statements last year indicating an about-turn in government Aids policy.

Mark Heywood, spokesperson for the Treatment Action Campaign, said the news was disturbing.

"If they want somebody to speak on nutrittion, the world has many experts who could speak without the baggage of the belief that HIV does not cause Aids," he said.

Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, former head of the Medical Research Council, who came under fire from the government for his anti-dissident views, said: "I find it very strange."

Below is Dr. Sam Mhlongo's response to Altenroxel's article that he sent to The Star:

HIV DISSIDENTS HAVE THE SAME HUMAN RIGHT TO TRAVEL & SPEAK

Dear Editor,

Lynne Altenroxel's story 'Dr. No hosts fellow Dr.No ........ Dissident believes Aids is not infectious nor is it sexually transmitted' (The Star, January 8th 2003), is clearly designed to gather the support of all those who are haunted by their own assumption and spectre that HIV=AIDS=DEATH and is heterosexually transmitted. Her story is nothing else but a call to ban Dr. Giraldo from entering the country to deliver a paper on nutrition and health to SADC health ministers on January 20th 2003. This is a call for one of the worst forms of censorship last seen in Nazi Germany and Apartheid South Africa. Altenroxel should not be surprised that some of her supporters have chosen to remain anonimous.

In her story, Altenroxel has as expected failed to deal with her line against Dr. Giraldo. Like her mainstream colleagues, she has no aswers to dissident questions and obsevations. I would like to bring to her attention a ten years non-dissident study on heeterosexual transmission of AIDS by Padian et al published in 1997.To date this is the longest study on this subject. The study concluded that, in an individuals' sex life-time, it would be impossible to transmit HIV heterosexually. Clearly, either Altenroxel and her mainstream colleagues are not aware of this or as likely, choose to be silent.

In conclusion, I find Altenroxel's reporting on Dr. Giraldo arrogant. SADC ministers and the South African public do not need her protection from dissident views. They are capable of judging for themselves when it comes to choosing between good nutrition and toxic antiretroviral drugs. I am currently in Brazil where I freely address several meetings on the 20 YEAR OLD HIV LIE, but expect to be back by the 20th of January to support my friend and colleague Dr. Giraldo.

TORONTO

tel/fax:(416) 406-HEAL

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