Re: Programme of Prevention

May 13, 2004

Geoffrey Heaviside asks a sensible question.

In Boston, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese has had an hiv/aids ministry that

includes education in Catholic high schools and a monthly dinner for people

living with hiv/aids. The school program includes presentations from people

living with hiv/aids. The coordinaor of the program has always said that it

is official Archdiocesan policy not to recommend use of condoms and asks the

client speakers not to bring that up in their prepared speeches....BUT....it

is also policy to give honest answers to any question asked by a student in

the audience. They can count on the fact that some student ALWAYS asks a

question about condoms. So the speaker tells the kids that

a) at their age abstinence is best; and explains how a condom works. If

the Archbishop of Boston can survive this approach.....why can't the Kenyan

religious leaders?

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

May 13, 2004

Thanks but I am really not so interested in the issue of condoms as

much as I am in the issue of capable risk assessment and why certain

behaviours constitute a risk.

Surely it is not sacrilegious to include aspects of risk assessment in an

Abstinence paradigm in ways that are clearly understood and can be

practically avoided.

If no one had unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse and no one shared a

needle or a straw and all hospitals were careful and all blood banks tested

and treated their blood, AIDS would disappear and the solution is as simple

as that.

For those that choose not to abstain they should be aware of appropriate

testing regimes to determine that each other was uninfected and there is

then no restriction on sexual behaviour.

For those that have an accident or are affected by impaired judgement or are

the victims of involuntary unprotected sex they should be aware of PEP (Post

Exposure Prophylaxis) and the fact that it needs to be administered within

the period of 72 hrs after the risk exposure. Now this could include an

inherited wife who feared for her safety or any number of rape victims

occurring at the rate of 2 each hour in Kenya.

Why is that so problematic for the religious leaders who are also often the

political leaders or influencers of nations.

If people determine to engage in risky behaviours then properly equipped and

trained family planning clinics can instruct on the correct use of

contraception including condom use but also appropriate prophylaxis against

pregnancy. There is nothing inherently 'western' about that surely.

We are really talking about a national emergency affecting health, food

production, transport, industry and military protection. In other words this

epidemic constitutes a national emergency for many African countries and

pure morality issues need to be weighed against the national interest.

45% of the Ugandan republican Army is HIV+ve, 65% of the Malawi Republican

Army is HIV+ve and who knows what the infection rate is in the Kenyan

Republican Army or even the Security and Police forces.

If we didn't have any answers and if we didn't have any proven strategies

then we could be forgiven for stumbling about in the dark but such is the

knowledge about the HIV virus that with appropriate education in a spirit of

fairness and entitlement to information we would be able to predict and

watch the statistics start to tumble like they did in Uganda with the

correctly explained ABC strategy. I pray that the Spirit of the almighty God

will prevail in this emergency and all will become purveyors of truth and

justice in the field of public health and proven epidemiological practices.

I do however have to confess that I am going to be leaving all the goat

slaughtering to others.

Geoffrey

Geoff Heaviside

Convenor - Brimbank Community Initiatives Inc

Secretary - International Centre for Health Equity Inc

P.O. Box 606 Sunshine 3020

. Australia.

Ph: 0418 328 278

Ph/Fax : (61 3) 9449 1856

or in India

Mr Geoff Heaviside

Mobile : (91) 9840 097 178 (Only when in India)

" Concern for what is right causes us to do our best - Knowledge of what is

best inspires us to do what is right. "

>From: " " <xhayes@...>

>Reply-AIDS treatments

>AIDS treatments

>Subject: Re: Programme of Prevention

>Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 14:09:08 -0400

>