Ngqabutho Mpofu

Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) is a membership-based organisation, founded in 1998 as a movement representing users of the public healthcare system, particularly those living with HIV in South Africa demanding equal access to HIV and AIDS treatment. In the later years, Tuberculosis was added to the list of the advocacy work towards safe and accessible medicines in its campaign mandate. One of TAC’s most significant victories was the 2002 Constitutional Court ruling where the South African government was ordered to provide ARVs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). Through advocacy and campaigns globally, TAC secured a government led HIV and AIDS-provided treatment programme, currently one of the world’s largest that mobilised persons living with HIV and AIDS to rise up and fight against neglect and inequalities of medicine access. In 2006, the New York Times called the TAC “the world’s most effective AIDS group”, and the largest organisation campaigning for quality healthcare for all in South Africa. Largely due to pressure from TAC, the first National Strategic Plan on HIV, STIs and Tuberculosis was adopted in 2007 by the government. Our vision is to achieve a unified healthcare system that provides equal access to quality and dignified healthcare services for all, including people living with HIV and TB. TAC’s mission is to engage in health facility monitoring, advocacy and campaigning to ensure that all public healthcare users have access to quality and dignified healthcare - and all people with HIV and TB can access prevention, treatment, care and support services.