EUROPE - United and co-ordinated to fight Aids: Meeting for Catholic organisations which care for 25% of the world’s AIDS patients

Saturday, 21 January 2006

Geneva (Fides Service) - Share resources and know-how, improve cooperation in the fight against AIDS: these are the objectives of a meeting in Geneva 23-26 January of representatives of Catholic organisations involved in healthcare and more specifically prevention of HIV/AIDS and care for HIV/AIDS patients.
Participants include Caritas Internationalis, a few bishops and delegates of Religious Orders, members of charity organisations such as Misereor and Missio, other Catholic bodies involved in the field of medical care. Representatives of the World Health Organistaion, UNICEF, UNAIDS and the World Bank will also be present.
In the struggle to fight AIDS Catholic organisations say there must be a united effort to identify ways to build a network to guarantee effective intervention. Points for discussion include: creating awareness, collection of funds, prevention, research and use of new medical therapy. On the agenda also the formation of staff and helpers at different levels of action, local, regional and international .
“This is the beginning of a new stage in the devastation caused by AIDS”, said Duncan Mac Laren secretary general of Caritas Internationalis a federation of 162 national Caritas offices. “Catholic organisations assist 25% of the HIV+ people in the world and we need special strategies to face the challenge of the pandemic”.
Participants will also discuss other diseases such as TB and malaria, and how to co-ordinate activity with the World Health Organisation and other international bodies. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 21/1/2006 righe 25 parole 256)


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