Bishops urge South African government to make AIDS drugs available

Published: 2004-02-05

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) -- Bishops of southern Africa called on the South African government to speed its delivery of anti-retroviral drugs. The Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference also said it would be tragic if red tape deprives HIV-positive Africans of basic assistance and medical care. The government needs to "overcome all bureaucratic hurdles which are hindering the realization of initiatives promoted by civil society in the health sector," the bishops' conference said in a statement after its Jan. 28-Feb. 4 plenary meeting at St. Peter's Seminary in Pretoria. During the meeting, the bishops also approved a protocol on requiring church officials to report to police all incidents of clergy sexual abuse of children and issued a statement against government corruption. With 4.5 million of South Africa's 43.5 million people infected with HIV, South Africa has one of the world's highest HIV/AIDS rates.

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