End of AIDS denialism in South Africa

After nearly a decade in office, Thabo Mbeki steps down as President of South Africa. This marks the end of AIDS denialism in the country. Mbeki and key government ministers had argued that HIV did not cause AIDS and promoted the use of unproven herbal medicines instead of antiretroviral treatment. This hugely hampered the HIV response in the country. By 2008, some six and a half million people are living with HIV in South Africa.