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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.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions