God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

05/15/2014 • 9:39 am Comments Off on From Prevention, Polygamy and Crime…

From Prevention, Polygamy and Crime…

As always in between posts I like to share some of the articles I am reading in between and they are ranging from the blue pill to criminal laws.

US Federal health officials recommended yesterday that hundreds of thousands of Americans at risk for AIDS take a daily pill that has been shown to prevent infection with the virus that causes it. If broadly followed, the advice could transform AIDS prevention in the United States — from reliance on condoms, which are effective but unpopular with many men, to a regimen that relies on an antiretroviral drug. Please read this article here.

In Africa, most people infected are female. In a modest public health clinic behind a gas station here in South Africa’s rural KwaZulu/Natal Province, a team of Norwegian infectious disease specialists think they may have found a new explanation. Not sure it will hold the scrutiny of sciences but it is worth reflecting on it. Read here.

In Kenya, a new law came into effect allowing for polygamy. Men can take several women as wives without the consent of the first or any of the others already married. Does it make sense? Well, questions are asked here.

Uganda was once the example of how to reduce the HIV pandemic. Then came complacency and PEPFAR rules, latter a curse and a blessing at the same time. Now Uganda has chosen to add to the draconian law regarding homosexuality also to criminalize HIV transmission. It is known that this has an adverse effect, but it seems that politicians in Uganda want to go the extra mile to do the wrong thing.  Click here to read the story.

Enjoy reading!

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Medical and Research, Politics and Society, Reflection, Religion and Ethics, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

07/30/2012 • 11:43 pm Comments Off on Criminalization of HIV – AIDS

Criminalization of HIV – AIDS

Bad criminal laws...Poisoning  –  terrorist attack  – bio-attack  –  murder  — attempted murder  –  assault

 

the labels of law are unbelievable – sometimes even if there is no knowledge of the infection or no transmission occurred

 

Did you know that giving birth, breastfeeding, spitting as a HIV positive person can bring you into jail in some countries?

 

In Sweden, even consent is declared invalid by law if transmission occurs

 

It is not those who know their status who drive the pandemic but those who don’t know. But would you go for a test when you know that a positive result might bring you in jail through your sexual activities, even if it is protected sex and no transmission occurs?

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

12/05/2011 • 9:59 am Comments Off on AIDS Gestapo…

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, , , , , , , , ,

12/21/2009 • 10:57 pm Comments Off on 21.12.2009 Preparation time…

21.12.2009 Preparation time…

Time to prepare for the Christmas day service today – it is always not easy to reflect on what Christmas may mean to the people attending the service on Christmas Day.  Every year is different – how it felt and how consequently Christmas is experienced. Like every year for the last 23 years I try to find a tone, that will bring the message of Christmas closer to the attending people. I hope that they are encouraged to let the love and the peace and the intimacy of this special birthday be part of their life; not only on the Christmas Day itself, but being carried over to the next days and month to come.
Then this is indeed the message of Christmas: that we are called to be in the likeness of God – everybody a little Jesus, when born – with all the possibilities and the vocation, to tell the story of God’s unconditional love within the respective life. As God has shared life with us, so we are called to share our life with him/her. That is obviously not that easy – daily life tells us most times another story – where love, sharing, peace, tolerance seems not to be a top priority because abused so many times.
And interesting enough is Christmas in many families also the time for bitter fights at the end of the day – because the pressure, to suddenly turn around the normal way of dealing with each other, is getting to big.  Christmas is for us Christian the culmination of our yearning for harmony in life – and we should train it during the year that it works also on those days.. :-).

Being the likeness of God – that is also a headline when it comes to dealing with our brothers and sisters who are carrying the HI virus with them.  They remain this picture of God – nothing is taken away from them through this virus. Therefore there should be no stigmatization or criminalization or discrimination within any Christian community. I guess, there is still much to do…  In this matter, Christmas acts as a reminder how much is still to do to free our society from the devil of stigmatization and all what comes with it.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, Reflection, Society and living environment, , , , , , , , , ,

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