Gavin Silber's critique of Helen Zille's weekly newsletter dealing with the plight of the deaf in South Africa is thoughtful and appreciated. However, he misinterprets the argument entirely.
In this piece, Helen Zille does not propose any criteria for considering "who deserves care" in the public health care system, nor does she ever say that people with HIV/AIDS should not receive treatment (see article). She makes a legitimate point that a full 80% of the public health budget is spent treating what are technically termed preventable illnesses, and increasingly funding is being shifted away from those with no choice in their medical conditions.
For instance, the state does not widely distribute free hearing aids, equipment which can transform the lives of many deaf children. Other examples abound. This does not mean we should not continue to work diligently to provide treatment across the board. Zille never implied otherwise, and Silber ignores the fact that the DA has in many respects led the charge against the ANC government's deeply flawed approach to AIDS over the last decade.
The DA, after all, was the very first provincial government in South Africa to distribute free ARV drugs, in the Western Cape in 2000, even while the national government was caught up in criminal AIDS denialism. Zille has always been a vocal supporter of free ARV treatment, and as Mayor of Cape Town she demonstrated that commitment by expanding the number of clinics in the city that provide voluntary counseling and testing and distribute ARVs.
Further, he correctly makes reference to the DA's enlightened public health policy, "Quality Care for All" (see here - PDF), a document which specifically states our commitment to the treatment of chronic conditions. As a country with massive development needs it is crucial for us to prevent as many preventable conditions as possible. This argument cannot in any way be interpreted to mean the withdrawal of HIV treatment.
Geordin Hill-Lewis is Chief of Staff, Democratic Alliance national leader's office
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