Health minister advises that garlic will protect against AIDS

The debate over AIDS continues to rage after inflammatory remarks made by South Africa’s health minister. Mrs Manto Tshabala-Msimang is reported to have told a parliamentary committee that ‘raw garlic and skin of a lemon – not only do they give you a beautiful face they also protect you from the disease.’ The health minister also attacked the WHO for not consulting South Africa regarding its plans to put 3 million Africans, Asians and Latin Americans on antiretroviral drugs by 2005. She emphasised again the benefits of nutrition in fighting the disease. South Africa has the highest caseload of HIV infections with an estimated 1 in 9 of the 45 million population carrying the virus.

Times, 7 May 2005, 32.