More than 15,000 specialists from all over the world, with the support
of many government and non government institutions, took part in
the 14th International Conference on AIDS organised by the United
Nations in Barcelona from 7-12 July, 2002-. One of the main points
of discussion was the simplification of therapy, new drugs and therapeutic
vaccines. Matters for debate also included polices of prevention
and access to treatment for sufferers in poor countries seeing that
only 5% of the world's AIDS patients have access to treatment.
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| The Catholic Church in front line to fight
AIDS |
The Catholic Church, one of main providers of assistance for AIDS
sufferers throughout the world, is confident that the Conference
will lead to positive measures to stop the AIDS epidemic and first
of all through prevention.In a message to the Secretary General
of the United Nations, on the occasion of a special session of the
UN General Assembly held in New York in 25-27 June, 2001, Pope John
Paul II said "the AIDS/HIV epidemic is undoubtedly one of the
major catastrophes of our era, particularly in Africa. It is not
only a health problem, since the disease has tragic consequences
for the social, economic and political life of peoples. …The
daunting spread of HIV/AIDS is one aspect of a social context marked
by a serious crisis in values…in the fight against the epidemic,
the international community should draw its inspiration from a constructive
of human dignity of human person and focus its attention on young
people by helping them to attain responsible emotional maturity".
Christians are one of the main sources of hope for AIDS sufferers
all over the world. One patient out of four is treated in Church
run institutions and in Third World countries the proportion is
greater.Archbishop Javier Barragan, President of the Pontifical
Council for Pastoral Care for Health Workers, addressing the UN
assembly on the same occasion said "since AIDS is a sexually
transmitted disease, the best and most effective prevention is formation
in the authentic values of life, love and human sexuality".
(AP).
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