AFRICA/KENYA - AIDS pandemic focus of two important meetings in Kenya

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides)- A workshop on AIDS 21 - 24 June organised by the Symposium of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) opened today in Nairobi, capital of Kenya at Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). The opening address was given by SECAM president Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria. The workshop will inform Catholic national HIV/AIDS coordinators about the role of international partner organisations and agencies and their modes of operation. It will discuss how to make the SECAM HIV/AIDS plan of action operational.
Key personalities and participants include a representative of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Health Care, the apostolic nuncio to Kenya Archbishop Alain Paul Lebeaupin, the first vice-president of SECAM in charge of HIV/AIDS, nine bishops in charge of health, coordinators and SECAM HIV/AIDS advisory members and ten international partners, agencies, and representatives of religious congregations dealing with HIV/AIDS in Africa, Caritas Africa and St Egidio Community.
The workshop comes after the action plan on HIV/AIDS adopted by the bishops of Africa during the 13th plenary assembly of SECAM in Dakar, Senegal in October 2003.
The AIDS pandemic was also the focus of another important meeting held in the archdiocese of Mombasa. Guided by the Archbishop Boniface Lele, priests and religious held serious discussions and training sessions from June 13 to 16 on dealing with the affected and infected and fighting stigma and discrimination.
Participants said the church as the Body of Christ is suffering from HIV/AIDS. It shares in the suffering and hope of those infected or affected by the scourge. Fr Paul Wangai organized the workshop. The City of Mombasa, a port of entry to Kenya and Eastern Africa, is a major tourist destination. Its geographical position, coupled with cultural diversity, makes it more vulnerable to the pandemic. The workshop was in line with the resolutions of the 15th general plenary of the Catholic bishops of Eastern Africa meeting held in Kampala in July last year on the challenges of HIV/AIDS in the region.
In an interview with CISA, Archbishop Lele said the meeting proposed establishment of permanent HIV/AIDS committees in the deaneries and parishes and recruitment of home-based care providers, known as ‘Wahudumu wa Afya”. They also proposed to strengthen HIV/AIDS activities wherever they exist in parishes such as Mikindani and Voi. The parishes will also establish support groups and counseling centres where Christians will go for voluntary counseling and testing, as well as offer support in positive living, nutritional information and support for the infected. Archbishop Lele said the archdiocese will employ a full time HIV/AIDS coordinator to carry out training and conduct awareness programmes. Parishes will have field officers and recruit volunteers to facilitate the programmes. These groups will also collect data and information on the extent of the spread of the disease as well identify the orphans and vulnerable groups and children (OVCs). The Church will also partner with other organizations and interested parties in the provision of Antiretroviral Drugs (ARVs) and Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) as well as conducting viral and immunity tests, which are currently very expensive for the HIV positive people. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/6/2005 righe 37 parole 422)