AFRICA/RWANDA - CHOOSE LIFE NOT DEATH: CATHOLIC BISHOPS PASTORAL LETTER ON AIDS PANDEMIC WHICH HAS KILLED 40 MILLION, 30 MILLION OF THEM IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Monday, 15 September 2003

Kigali (Fides Service) - AIDS is a disease that has invaded the whole world but it inflicts the greatest damage in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since its appearance around 1981, it has killed 40 million world wide. 75 of this 40 million, that is, 29 to 30 million have died in Sub-Saharan Africa. Rwanda is among the 10 countries in Africa the most affected by this disease. The situation worsened with the 1994 genocide which reduced families to poverty hampering also development. In view of the spread of the disease the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Rwanda, committed to fighting AIDS, has issued a Pastoral Letter “Choose Life not Death” the purpose of which, the Bishops explain, is to show the people “the serious extent of this disease as well as the teachings of the church in this matter and the Church's project to fight it”. AP (Fides Service 15/9/2003 EM lines 18 Words: 197)


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