STATEMENT ON MORTALITY STATISTICS

By Government Communication and Information System

26 Sep. 2001

JOINT STATEMENT BY THREE MINISTERS TASKED BY CABINET TO DEAL WITH THE HIV/AIDS ISSUE AND WITH MATTERS TO DO WITH THE EXPERT PANEL

Much speculation has appeared about the Interdepartmental Task Team on Mortality Statistics, and particularly the role of the Medical Research Council in the matter. The Government wishes to clarify its position on the subject.

The Minister of Health set things out in a statement issued on 10 September 2001, responding to an article in Business Day, and the essence is that the results of this task team's investigations are in the process of being discussed by other relevant institutions including Statistics SA. The outcome will be announced to the public by Statistics SA later this year, probably in December.

The MRC study is part of this wider-ranging investigation. The MRC report is not a Government report and therefore the unfounded allegations in the media implying deliberate attempts on the part of Government to delay the release of this report are inaccurate. Government cannot release a report that it does not own.

It is highly regrettable that employees of the MRC, who are themselves Government employees, should have chosen to act in ways which place themselves in a hostile position vis-a-vis the Government, and it will be necessary for this serious situation to be attended to.

Signed:
Dr M Tshabalala-Msimang - 082 375 1895
Dr B Ngubane - 082 573 4594
Dr EG Pahad - 082 552 3564