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Sister Luzia Wetzel, the coordinator of the Zambia’a youth Alive HIV/Aids prevention programme, said, “Condoms are not the solution to Aids.” Sister Wetzel has had 40 years experience working in Africa and believes that rather than emphasizing the use of condoms, behaviour change is the key to tackling the problem.
The Youth Alive programme, which has been running in all of Zambia’s dioceses, emphasises abstinence from pre-marital sex and faithfulness in marriage.
Sister Wetzel said: “We want to empower young people to recognise how precious human life is. They learn how serious Aids is. Based on this knowledge they understand that their lives are affected by their own decisions. This means they can refuse if someone wants to tempt them to any action that violates the sacredness of human life.”
Sister Wetzel’s comments echo those of Sister Maria Crucis Beards who helped set up Our Lady’s Hospice, a centre for people with HIV in the east of the Zambian capital, Lusaka.
In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need, Sr Crucis said: “I believe telling people about the importance of chastity and fidelity is the only way to tackle the [HIV/Aids] crisis. Condoms have been freely available for 10 years or more and yet there’s been no obvious change in HIV levels. Clearly condoms don’t work.”
According to UN estimates, Zambia has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world. Zambia’s HIV prevalence in adults was 21.5 percent in 2003. Figures from 2009 reveal a drop to 13.5 percent.
A national strategic plan developed in 2002-2005 prioritised promoting behaviour change, reducing mother-to-child transmission, ensuring safer blood transfusions, and providing care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS, especially orphans.
The southern African nation has a population of 14 million, of whom 7.5 million are Catholic.
Full Article: ICN
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