Pope urges international community to increase efforts to cure AIDS

Published: 2006-11-27

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI called on the international community to increase efforts to find a cure for HIV/AIDS and to protect people infected by the virus from discrimination. The pope made the appeal at the end of his Nov. 26 Angelus in St. Peter's Square to mark World AIDS Day Dec. 1. Nearly 40 million adults and children are living with HIV, and new infections are on the rise in many countries, according to a recent report by the Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS and the World Health Organization. This year 4.3 million people have contracted the virus and 2.9 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses, the report said. Pope Benedict said he hoped World AIDS Day would promote a greater sense of "responsibility in curing the disease as well as in the commitment to avoid all discrimination against those who have been hit" by the virus that causes the disease. In a separate address, the pope called for all people struggling with infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, to be treated with love and respect.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .