AIDS experts from around the world gathered in Rome to attend a Vatican conference on AIDS HIV. The a two-day conference, organized by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, looked at the role the Church plays in treating the disease and discussed ways of preventing the spread of HIV and caring for people with AIDS.
Catholic charities are a major player in the fight against HIV/AIDS providing about 25 percent of AIDS care in Africa where 22 million infected people live. They run hospitals and hospices, orphanages and clinics and have played a critical role in helping to de-stigmatize those with the virus and stress the need for changes in sexual behavior to stop its spread.
One topic being discussed is the role of condoms in the prevention of the disease. Dr. Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS, speaking at the conference, referring to Pope Benedict XVI statement that a male prostitute who intends to use a condom might be taking a first step toward greater responsibility said, “This has helped me to understand his position better and has opened up a new space for dialogue.”
Source:
Vatican Radio
The Bellingham Herald
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