Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lima (Fides Service) - On the occasion of the 13th World XIII which recently concluded in Cameroon the office for Health Pastoral in Lima organised a seminar on “the Church and AIDS”, with the theme “Towards a culture of education and prevention”.
Emerging objectives included examination and revision of HIV in Peru, organisation of a space for exchange of pastoral experience and theological reflection on the work of the Church to promote education to prevention and assistance for people with AIDS and the proposal of some guide lines for coordination of work groups in the field of AIDS.
The office for health pastoral of the archdiocese of Lima is in charge of pastoral work in parishes and private and state healthcare centres. In Lima it cooperates with organisations, parishes, dioceses and NGOs mainly in three fields: education in prevention; assistance to the sick; collaboration with healthcare institutes.
Conclusions at the end of the seminar underlined the essential role of education, including themes of HIV/AIDS at all levels, among teachers, health teams and professionals, pastoral agents and community organisations for preventative healthcare. A request was made to the government to guarantee fair distribution and administration of resources for healthcare to guarantee fully the right to health, as well as ongoing and consistent treatment for the different stages of HIV. The government was also asked to organise prevention campaigns on how HIV is transmitted and prevented.
As members of the Church the representatives of the Office encouraged everyone, in particular pastoral agents in parishes in the archdiocese of Lima, to continue to work together to assist the sick using the resources of science and faith to alleviate suffering. (AP) (2/3/2005 Agenzia Fides; Righe:30; Parole:362)
