Achmat blames Mbeki for AIDS deaths

In an interview with the BBC, Achmat says that Mbeki should be 'called to account' for his decision to block antiretroviral treatment. He was referring to a recent Harvard study that estimated that 330 000 deaths were caused by his 1999 decision to declare the antiretrovirals that were available toxic and dangerous.

The study, published on 20 October, said that as a result of Mr Mbeki's policies, nearly 35,000 babies were also born HIV-positive between 2000 and 2005.
The former president had failed to roll out the drugs which could have prevented mother-to-child transmission, said the researchers.

The study, led by Dr Pride Chigwedere, accused the South African government of 'acting as a major obstacle in the provision of medication to patients with Aids'.
The authors said that under the leadership of Mr Mbeki, the government had restricted use of donated anti-retroviral drugs and blocked funds for more than a year from the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.