Toeing the Catholic doctrine of not endorsing contraceptives, Pope Francis, in his address to visiting Tanzanian bishops, said that fidelity and chastity are potent weapons in the fight against the AIDS virus in Africa.
Francis thanked medical personnel working for the Catholic Church who "care for those suffering from HIV/AIDS" and praised "all who strive diligently to educate people in the area of sexual responsibility and chastity," the Vatican said in a statement.
"By promoting prayer, marital fidelity, monogamy, purity and humble service of one another within families, the Church continues to make an invaluable contribution to the social welfare of Tanzania," he said.
AIDS campaigners often disparage the Catholic Church for not recognising the use of condoms as a means of preventing the spread of the virus.
Francis's predecessor Benedict XVI was heavily criticised for saying during a trip to Africa that the distribution of condoms "aggravates" the AIDS crisis.
![AIDS and Pregnancy]( "AIDS and Pregnancy")
The Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is brought about by the deadly human immunodeficiency virus. In the USA alone an estimate of 120,000 - 160,000 women are HIV- infected.
But in a book of interviews in 2010, he gave a more considered answer, saying that "condoms alone do not resolve the question".
He also gave the example of a male prostitute choosing to use a condom to prevent HIV infection as a "first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality".
Source: AFP
Francis's predecessor Benedict XVI was heavily criticised for saying during a trip to Africa that the distribution of condoms "aggravates" the AIDS crisis.
AIDS and Pregnancy
The Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is brought about by the deadly human immunodeficiency virus. In the USA alone an estimate of 120,000 - 160,000 women are HIV- infected.
But in a book of interviews in 2010, he gave a more considered answer, saying that "condoms alone do not resolve the question".
He also gave the example of a male prostitute choosing to use a condom to prevent HIV infection as a "first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality".
Source: AFP
AIDS/HIV - Clinical Features
Encyclopedia section of medindia gives general info about HIV Clinical Features
Advertisement
 AIDS/HIV - Prevention And TransmissionEncyclopedia section of medindia explains in brief about the prevention for AIDS/HIV |
Recommended Readings
Latest AIDS/HIV News
Though monkeypox can affect anyone, CDC research states that approximately 40% of people diagnosed with monkeypox in the US also test positive for HIV.
The Phase 1 trial for a preventive HIV vaccine candidate has initiated enrollment in both the United States and South Africa.
In the United States, African American women make up only 26% of female PrEP users, yet they account for 57% of new infections among women.
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the fight against HIV/AIDS with the successful resolution of the enigmatic immune-evading HIV protein complex.
Tailored quit-smoking programs are designed to address the risks associated with comorbidity in individuals living with HIV.