HIV/AIDS was a killer in the 1980s. At the time Queensland’s premier, Sir Joh Bjelke-Peterson, thought it was a punishment from God. Mike Ahern, who succeeded Bjelke-Peterson as premier in 1987, claims health officials warned Bjelke-Peterson HIV/AIDS could wipe out entire Queensland communities unless action was taken. Nonetheless, Bjelke-Peterson refused to allow indigenous Australians and Read more
When Dewi was diagnosed with HIV in 2009, her life became miserable. “My family couldn’t accept my condition,” Dewi, not her real name, says in reference to the virus that affected her immune system. Following her diagnosis, Dewi underwent medical treatment for two weeks in Jayapura diocese-run Dian Harapan Hospital in Jayapura, Papua province. It was there Read more
Pope Francis has told a journalist asking about condom use to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa that the question posed is too small. The Pope answered the question during a session with reporters on his plane flying back from the Central African Republic on November 30. The journalist asked if the Church should Read more
Aucklander Kirsten Sloan is a volunteer on mission with Fr Frank Bird and others at the Marist Family Mission in Ranong, Thailand, where she manages the HIV/AIDS Health Project. The mission has been serving Burmese migrants for the past 6 years providing community support, education for Burmese children and support and health access for HIV/AIDs sufferers Read more
Catholic Archdiocese of Suva counsellor Brother Fergus Garrett said they had been very much part of preparation of two documents, “Fiji Inter-Faith Strategy on HIV/AIDS” and “Pacific Guide to HIV for Christian Ministers, Pastors and Communities”, from the beginning to the final stage. The documents were launched in Suva last Thursday by the President of Read more
The rising incidence of HIV/Aids in the Philippines has prompted the Archbishop of Manila to call for greater awareness among Catholic clergy, religious and lay people. While new cases of HIV/Aids are decreasing globally, Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle said they are increasing in the Philippines, with an average of nine reported each day. “What is Read more
Pacific Island countries have been challenged to to rally against religious conservatism to ensure young people can make informed decisions about sex and pregnancy. The call was made by Papua New Guinea MP Dame Carol Kidu who was among several Pacific politicians attending the New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development’s annual meeting in Wellington. The focus Read more
The Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands has announced its “conscientious objection” to an education ministry directive that requires high schools to distribute condoms to students. “Even if the document issued by the Ministry of Education has many positive points, we cannot be forced to follow a policy which contradicts with Read more
A US faith-based organisation has handed over providing relief to HIV/AIDS patients in Uganda to the Catholic Church. As of March 1, the Uganda Episcopal Conference is partnering with Centres for Disease Control, providing care and relief to more than 22,656 patients. This follows the expiry of the Aids Relief Health Systems Strengthening project that Read more