TAC threatens lawsuit against South African government

The South African AIDS activist group Treatment Action Campaign on Monday threatened to file a lawsuit against the nation's government before the upcoming April 14 general election unless progress is made in the rollout of a national antiretroviral treatment program. The South African cabinet approved the treatment program in November 2003, which aims to provide anti-HIV drugs to about 1.2 million people by 2008. But no South African adults have received drugs from the government yet, and health officials are unsure when the program will begin. TAC spokesman Zackie Achmat says the group plans to meet with national health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang later this month. If the group is not provided specific details on the rollout of the program, the government "will find itself in court," Achmat said.