Newly released U.N.AIDS figures revealed that there were 3 millionAIDS deaths during 2005:
570,000 of which were children. 5 million people have been newly-infected with HIV, sending the total number of people infected worldwide up from 37.5 million in 2004 to 40.3 million -- the highest ever figure.Those living in Africa and young people continue to be worst affected by the pandemic. Two-thirds of all new infections tookplace in sub-Saharan Africa and over half of all new infections worldwide were amongst those aged 15-24.
The report estimates that 350,000 lives have been saved thanksto anti-retrovirals. But increasing the availability of drugsin developing countries remains difficult due to a lack of funding; inadequate healthcare systems; and unfair trade rules that put the profits of pharmaceuticals ahead of public healthneeds.It is clear that world leaders need to act now and turn their promises into action and get AIDS treatment to all who need itby 2010.
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1 comment:
Do we distribute condoms?
I often have this discussion with my RCC friends and friends that yield to the supremacy of the bishop of Rome in everything but membership to the RCC.
The argument that they make is that distributing condoms is a wrongly ordered way of combating sin. By creating the space for safe sex, we are doing nothing to encourage Christian virtue, thus such a tactic is out of order.
Then again, I argue, mores in these nations are much different than in ours. Men sleep around and bring this scourge into their bed and their wives don't have the cultural authority to tell them "No". While condoms aren't a perfect solution, the amount of suffing it alleviates makes it acceptable. Condoms are not the Kingdom Come, but they aren't a wolf in sheep's clothing either.
I do find myself conflicted at times. Someone could make a similar argument about the use of coersive violence to stop genocide.
I do, however, find differences between sex and slaughter. You can call it the beginnings are accepting realism based arguments, but I call it doing what you can when you can.
Condoms aren't a perfect answer, but AIDS kiils and we have to work to prevent that senseless loss of life while we attempt to change the larger culture in our hope for the Kingdom Come.
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