Abstinence ‘best way’ to fight AIDS

POPE Benedict XVI told African bishops yesterday that abstinence is the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV, reiterating the Catholic Church’s teaching to the prelates from a continent ravaged by the virus.

“It is of great concern that the fabric of African life, its very source of hope and stability, is threatened by divorce, abortion, prostitution, human trafficking and a contraceptive mentality, all of which contribute to a breakdown in sexual morality,” Pope Benedict said.

The Pope met bishops from South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia and Lesotho. He has met previously with bishops from Burundi and Rwanda since assuming the papacy on April 19, but it was the first time he took up the problem of the AIDS epidemic on the continent.

He did tell South African President Thabo Mbeki the Church has a responsibility to promote ‘moral values’.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for over 60% of the 40 million people infected with HIV worldwide. In March, a UN study predicted over 80 million Africans may die from AIDS by 2025 and infections could soar to 90 million - if more is not done to expand prevention programmes and offer better access to drugs that can control the virus.

South Africa has the highest number of HIV-infected people worldwide, and an estimated 600-1,000 people die of AIDS there every day.