Vatican Supports Care, Prevention and Treatment of illness caused by HIV/AIDS

(May 26, 2011) Vatican is calling on rich nations to support the poor countries in providing support and care of those affected by HIV/AIDS and help in the prevention and treatment of this illness. Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, President of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers and the Good Samaritan Foundation, said this in Rome on Thursday through a video clipping. This is in preparation for an International Study Meeting on the topic “The Centrality of Care for the Person in the Prevention and Treatment of Illnesses Caused by HIV/AIDS” to be held on 27^th and 28^th May. The Archbishop said that in the last few years, there have been mounting requests from the Local Churches, to deal with the problem again and prepare a new pastoral guide that can help them improve their own pastoral and medical initiatives. He added that this study aims at increasing more and more the implementation of the church’s teaching in this field, fostering both the ethical awareness of those who assist the sick and the respect of the dignity of each infected person. The Prelate lamented that in poor countries, where there are numerous victims, many continue to die because they lack the necessary treatment. Therefore it is necessary to point out the prevention of the transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child, through the administration of antiretrovirals, which for many is still a rare possibility due to economic and/or logistical reasons, he said.