THE lives of more than 1.7 million HIV-infected South Africans could be saved by 2010 if the government made AIDS drugs available immediately, according to a leaked report.

The South African government’s muddled Aids policy suffered its most serious blow to date today when a court ordered it make a key drug available to HIV-positive pregnant women Aids activists cheered and embraced after the landmark decision to force the government to distribute the drug nevirapine was read by Pretoria High Court Judge Chris Botha.

The court case to stop South Africa importing or producing cheap anti-Aids drugs has started in Pretoria.