Shades of Gray

Having recently conducted a skype interview with HIV researcher Dr. Glenda Gray, I was interested to hear her speaking about the political aspect of what she does. While she is in no way involved with government (although she did help write the Aids bill in 1994) she has had tumultuous relationships with government members. This is a subversive look at the dark side of the beast.

Trying to get funding for the roll out of the drugs she develops seemed to be the order of the day and  that some ministers have been more helpful than others. Screaming matches and phone tapping was all she could expect from the late Dr.Manto Tshabalala-Msimang who was an Aids denialist and would regularly call Dr. Gray to her office to try and shock her.

Allowing drugs to be sent to other hospitals who didn't have stock would result in angry phone calls asking how she dare allow the drugs to be administered.This for a drug that costs R10 and is proven to almost completely prevent the passing on of HIV to unborn babies.

Dr. Gray and the other researchers became extremely frustrated and disillusioned with the entire system of government and on her receiving the Nelson Mandela health and human rights award she feels, 'We got awarded it to protect us. If you are in trouble in a country, the best thing you can do is elevate the status of the people who questioned... And then you become untouchable.'

The current Minister of health Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi is committed to change. He is fully behind their work and in his personal capacity will perform one thousand circumcision - a key factor in preventing the passing on of HIV from females to males.

 It seems that what we heard in the newspapers about the denialism and 'beetroot' mania under the Mbeki administration didn't even touch the surface of how obsessive and deeply invested they were in their misguided ways. It is also interesting to look back with hindsight and see just how much politicians impact on matters that they may know very little about.

(350 words)