The Health Minister, regarded by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) as a strong campaigner in the fight against HIV
define and AIDS, felt that "The statement by the Pope is inconsistent with science, it's inconsistent with our experiences and it is not in sync with what Catholics have experienced and believe.”
The recent comments by Pope Benedict XVI on condom use, where he proclaimed that its use actually increases the AIDS problem and that abstinence is the only effective method to curb HIV/AIDS infections, had created quite a stir past week.
Pope Benedict statement was the most confrontational, delineated anti-condom pronouncement. Moreover, he made the statement as he began his visit to the most AIDS-ravaged continent -Africa, where more than 25 million people have died of AIDS, and another 22 million are living with the disease.
Ramsammy openly called the stance taken by pope on condom use as "absolutely and unequivocally wrong". Moreover, he recommended the use of condoms, along with education, and the need to impart the message of fidelity and monogamy.
The Health Minister intends to garner support among colleague and health ministers of the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom), which is essentially Roman Catholic.
"Whilst I would hope that Catholics would continue to be extremely supportive of their church and the pope ... on this issue, they (should) rely on the evidence, and we need at this time to come out forcefully with the evidence to demonstrate that condoms and lifestyle matter."
Pope Benedict’s explicit warning that more condoms would facilitate the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa has led to an attack on the pope by the world's condom-promoters and their political allies.
Most groups, nationally and globally, strongly rejected the pope's comments, labeling them as irresponsible and not based on any scientific data. There is enough evidence, and it is universally agreed, that proper condom usage is very effective in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. While abstinence is the ideal and most effective method, unfortunately it is too far fetched to emphasize on abstinence education.
The Spanish health ministry in a statement stated that "Condoms have been demonstrated to be a necessary element in prevention policies and an efficient barrier against the virus."
Lisa Power of Britain's gay activist group the Terrence Higgins Trust said, "We deeply regret the continued misinformation around condoms, which remain the most effective way of preventing the spread of HIV.”
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