HIV/AIDS activists call for welfare grants, not food aid

South African HIV/AIDS lobby group the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) on Tuesday cautiously welcomed an announcement by the government that it will provide nutritious food to people living with HIV/AIDS (PWAs). TAC, however, said the government's primary focus should be on providing the necessary welfare grants to PWAs rather than trying to facilitate a food roll-out. "This programme will be multi-pronged, using simple approaches such as establishing food gardens in communities in partnership with other role players ... It is not just a food parcel handout but a way of empowering PWAs," Department of Health Chief Director for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Dr Nono Simelela told PlusNews. The announcement followed a 12-day hunger strike by 22 members of the National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAPWA), to force government to develop a uniform policy to provide social grants to unemployed and poor PWAs. "Many PWAs will benefit more from a social grant as the government's nutrition plan will not work as a sustainable system and will fail as did previous food roll-out systems," TAC national treatment literacy coordinator, Sipho Mthathi, said.