The ruling African National Congress is accusing former U.S. President Jimmy Carter of wanting to use South Africans as "guinea pigs" in the fight against AIDS. 

Mr. Carter, who visited South Africa on Friday, urged the government there to do more to fight AIDS and widen access to treatment. 

In a statement, the African National Congress said Mr. Carter is willing to treat South Africans as guinea pigs in the interest of pharmaceutical companies. 

The former U.S. president could not immediately be reached for comment. 

South African President Thabo Mbeki has tried to restrict the use of nevirapine, a drug which has been shown to significantly reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Mr. Mbeki has questioned the link between HIV and AIDS, and his nevirapine policy has been criticized by AIDS activists, labor unions and church groups. 

There are more people with HIV/AIDS in South Africa than in any other country in the world About five million of South Africa's 45 million people are infected with the deadly disease. That is one in nine South Africans. 

Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AP.

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