God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

At the end of the year…

there is only one thing to say: Thank you very much all supporters and sponsors of HOPE Cape Town, but also thank you to the great staff of HOPE Cape Town, dedicated working day-to-day in the townships in and around Cape Town. It is indeed a privilege to be connected to so many dedicated people in Cape Town, South Africa and around the world, who want to change the lives of those affected and effected by HIV and AIDS. Gratefully looking back on 2011 I hope and wish that with your help, 2012 will be anew a year full of blessings for our work.

Stefan Hippler

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Medical and Research, Politics and Society, Reflection, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

HIV and AIDS – more than a disease… publication SVD Verbum 3/2011 Summary

HIV/AIDS is a subject that has been part of our lives for many years now and not merely as one illness among others, because it affects all spheres of life for those afflicted. With 33 million people infected it has become for the universal church one of the signs of the times Vatican II speaks of. It presents a challenge for moral and pastoral theology, but there is also the very practical question of how to deal with priests and religious who have become infected. How is the pastoral and theological response of the Church today to rate the unconditional love of God versus the norms of moral theology? How are we to interpret the statement the Pope made in an interview about the use of condoms, which was greeted as such a sensation at the time? In addition to questions such as these the author describes his own experiences in HIV/AIDS work in South Africa and shows how important it is for understanding the meaning of healing and wholeness in a religious context.

Das Thema HIV und Aids gehört seit Jahren zu unserem Leben, wobei HIV mehr ist als nur eine Krankheit und alle Lebensbereiche der betroffenen Menschen in Mitleidenschaft zieht. Bei 33 Millionen aktuell Infizierten wird es für die Weltkirche zu einem Zeichen der Zeit, von dem das Zweite Vatikanische Konzil spricht. Es bedeutet eine Herausforderung für die Moraltheologie, für die Pastoraltheologie, aber auch für die praktische Frage, wie wir mit Priestern und Ordensleuten umgehen, die sich mit dem HI-Virus infiziert haben. Was bedeutet die bedingungslose Liebe Gottes im Vergleich mit den Regeln der Moraltheologie für die pastorale und theologische Antwort unserer Kirche heute? Wie ist das seinerzeit als so sensationell empfundene Papstinterview zu deuten, wo er von der Verwendung von Kondomen spricht? Neben diesen Fragen schildert der Autor seinen Weg in der Arbeit mit HIV/Aids in Südafrika und macht deutlich, wie wichtig und wegweisend diese für das Verstehen von Heil und Heilung des Menschen im religiösen Kontext ist.

El tema de VIH y SIDA traviesa nuestras vidas desde hace años, aun cuando VIH es más que una enfermedad, ya que afecta a todos los aspectos de la vida de las personas concernidas. Actualmente se cuentan unas 33 millones de personas infectadas que para la iglesia mundial se van tornando un signo de los tiempos, como se expresó el Concilio Vaticano II. Significa un desafío para la teología moral y pastoral, pero también se vuelve una pregunta práctica de cómo relacionarnos con sacerdotes y religiosos o religiosas que se han infectado con el VIH. ¿Qué significa el amor de Dios incondicional en relación con las reglas de la teología moral para la respuesta pastoral y teológica de nuestra iglesia actualmente? ¿Cómo hay que interpretar la entrevista del Papa que en su tiempo se consideró como tan sensacional, cuando se refiere al uso del preservativo? Más allá de estas preguntas, el autor cuenta de su camino en el trabajo con VIH/SIDA en África del Sur y aclara qué importante esto es para entender la salvación y la sanación en un contexto religioso.

 

Le sida est un sujet qui fait partie de nos vies depuis de nombreuses années et pas seulement comme une maladie parmi d’autres, parce qu’il affecte toutes les sphères de la vie de ceux qui en sont atteints. Avec 33 millions de personnes malades, il est devenu pour l’Église universelle l’un des signes des temps dont parle Vatican II. Il représente un défi pour la théologie morale et pastorale, mais il y a aussi la question très pratique de comment traiter des prêtres et religieux qui en sont atteints. Comment l’attitude pastorale et théologique de l’Église doit-elle présenter l’amour inconditionnel de Dieu en regard des normes de la théologie morale ? Comment devons-nous interpréter la déclaration sur l’usage du préservatif faite par le Pape lors d’une interview qui a tellement fait sensation à l’époque ? Outre des questions telles que celles-là, l’auteur décrit sa propre expérience de travail dans le domaine du sida en Afrique du Sud et montre combien c’est important pour comprendre la guérison et la santé dans un contexte religieux.

http://www.missionswissenschaft.eu/missionswissenschaft/publikationen/Zeitschriften/verbum/2011/2011_03/HIV-mehr-als-eine-Krankheit-fuer-den-Menschen-und-seine-Umwelt.php#

 

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Reflection, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

AIDS Gestapo…

Sometimes, discussions are getting out of hand – and this one has certainly gone out of hand. Offering cash prizes for getting tested is a decision, one surely can debate and argue about. But the question of criminalization of HIV transmission is a much deeper going one and Helen Zille, premier of the Western Cape (SA)  and TAC (Advocacy group) should avoid to debate it in a wording and style which does not help the cause. What is meant by “willing infecting” somebody – does it mean, that everybody, who has not done a test and having sex without protection is “willing” to pass on the virus. Or must there be a real intention, so consideration before the act? Fact is, that criminalization is not a tool for HIV prevention – common sense is also that I always expect from both persons engaging in sex to prevent a possible transmission in any case – be it HIV or any other STI.  Both have the responsiblity to either clarify it or protect or decide to take the risk in a responsible way. It can never be one-sided. Being on HAART for 6 month, undetectable and no STI means that the risk of transmission is likely to be the same like a broken condom.
Word like “AIDS Gestapo” or “racist” have no place in such a serious debate. It is about responsiblity, ending stigma, avoiding discrimination and protecting the rights of each and everybody even in the privacy of their bedrooms. A very sensible place – and a very sensible topic which deserves wording living up to the seriousness of the topic.

Read more: http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/zille-slams-aids-gestapo-1.1192047

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Politics and Society, Society and living environment, , , , , , , , ,

New research supports EKAF statement for MSM

Viral load in the blood and rectal secretions of HIV-positive gay men are highly correlated, according to US research published in the September 1st edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The study also showed that the presence of sexually transmitted infections did not increase rectal viral load. Individuals with a plasma viral load above 1000 copies/ml were significantly more likely to have detectable virus in the rectum.  “Our data add substantially to the few published studies of HIV shedding in rectal secretions of MSM [men who have sex with men],” comment the investigators, “we were able to quantify HIV RNA in rectal secretions, demonstrate the linear correlation between increasing plasma load and rectal viral load and determine a threshold plasma viral load that distinguished detectable from undetectable rectal viral load.” They also believe that their findings have important implications for current debates about the use of HIV treatment as prevention, commenting: “Combination antiretroviral therapy will have a similar effect on reducing HIV transmission in MSM, as seen in studies of heterosexual discordant couples.”
Read more:

English: http://www.aidsmap.com/Plasma-and-rectal-viral-load-correlated-in-HIV-positive-gay-men-supports-use-of-treatment-as-prevention/page/2063383

German: http://news.aids.ch/article.php?subID=12023&key=0&start=0&categorie=Wow!#12023

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Medical and Research, , , , , , , , , , ,

HNU Alumni- and Campus Club in Cape Town

After leaving the township of Khayelitsha, the HNU delegation continued to the town of Stellenbosch, where they had a brief walk and lunch in the lovely city centre before visiting Stellenbosch
University’s Lückhoff School. Stellenbosch University’s Dr. Jerome Slamat, Senior Director Community Interaction, presented Stellenbosch University’s CSR and HOPE projects. Then Reverend
Stefan Hippler, Chair of HOPE Cape Town Trust, and Dr. Sadeeka Williams, medical advisor of HOPE Cape Town, presented the Hope Cape Town project which aims at treatment and increasing knowledge about the prevalent HIV / Aids problem in the townships. Prof. Bernd Rosenkranz, Stellenbosch University, Division of Pharmacology, showed us the e-learning program for township clinics and community health care workers. Rev. Hippler and Prof. Rosenkranz accompanied the HNU group to Solms Delta Farm & Wine Estate in Franschoek where Hilko Hegewisch explained the history of the Western Cape in the Solms Delta Museum. During the wonderful dinner, Craig MacGillivray, CEO of Solms Delta, explained how the owners found 2000 year old relics
of farming in this area when renovating the buildings. They invested lots of money and paid special attention to detail to make the farm a unique jewel. They have succeeded in integrating the farm’s history and its people (owners and workers) into the new concept of hospitality present in its current restaurant and winery. During the dinner, participants shared their impressions with Consul General Hans-Werner Bussmann and his wife and made plans for cooperation with Rev. Stefan Hippler and Prof. Rosenkranz. Two additional guests, Eric Du Plessis, CEO of the Headway Group and Kai von Pannier from the Mineseeker Foundation, told the group about their development projects on coconut plantations in Mozambique where they are aiming to establish self-sustaining business (so called “aidfree” zones).

 

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Medical and Research, Networking, Reflection, , , , , ,

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