South Africa's health minister replaced

KAMPALA, Uganda, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang -- criticized for telling those with HIV to take garlic, beets and lemon -- has been replaced.

Transport Minister Jeff Radebe was appointed interim health minister, although AIDS activists say it is unlikely the ailing Tshabalala-Msimang will return to the post, the Washington Post reported.

"I hope that we're in a position to have a more scientifically focused HIV policy going forward," Francois Venter, president of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, told the newspaper.

Tshabalala-Msimang, who suffers from an undisclosed illness, has refused to embrace lifesaving AIDS drugs. Dozens of scientists called for her removal after an appearance at the International AIDS Conference last year, where she touted her widely criticized dietary remedies instead of anti-retroviral drugs, the newspaper said.

South African has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world.