South Africa came under withering attacks at the closing of the week-long global Aids conference yesterday, with some of the world’s leading Aids experts accusing the government of ignoring the epidemic and promoting “lunatic” prevention methods.

THE world’s largest Aids conference has been told that microbicides to help women protect themselves from HIV might be available in several years — but the world is woefully unprepared to ensure widespread access to such treatments.

The big buzz at the world’s largest Aids conference is that microbicides to help women protect themselves from HIV might be available in several years. Yet Aids experts warned yesterday the world is woefully unprepared to ensure widespread access to such treatments.