Why the Pope opposes condoms

Pope Benedict XVI is a man of enormous authority.

When he says "don't use condoms - even to prevent the spread of Aids" it has a significant impact among tens, even hundreds of millions of people.

Getting on for a fifth of Africans are Roman Catholic.

The Church has been growing more quickly in Africa than anywhere else, and this is the Pope's first visit there in the four years he has been the spiritual leader of the world's approximately one billion Catholics.

Robert Pigott, BBC

US capital blighted by HIV/Aids

The US capital is suffering an epidemic of HIV/Aids worse than some African nations, with 3% of over-12s infected, the city's department of health says.

Its report suggests the hardest-hit sections of the population are black men, and people aged between 40 and 49.

The infection rate puts Washington DC on a par with Uganda.

BBC

Married an HIV+ man, got infected, now on crusade to save other women

When they married, he knew he was HIV-positive, she did not. By the time she found out, it was too late to save herself - but not too late, she decided, to save other women.

In the nine years since she was diagnosed positive, Vaishali Sanjay Shinde, now 28, has been on a single-handed mission to educate women on HIV. Based on the theme 'Pratyakala Manoos Mahnoon Jagnaycha Haqq Ahey' (Everyone has the right to live as a human being), her one-woman campaign not only seeks to make women aware of the dangers of AIDS but also stresses equal rights, self-reliance, dignity and unity among women.

Manoj More, for The Indian Express.

Women living with HIV in Delhi driven to a life of poverty

Hundreds of women living with HIV in Delhi are being driven to a life of poverty because of stigma, discrimination and a lack of basic human rights says the Delhi Mahila Samithi - the State Women Forum of Delhi Network of Positive People -today (Sunday 8th March).

To mark International Womens Day, the network is calling on the Delhi State Aids Control Society to take concrete action and tackle the roots of inequity and fear which underpins their lives.

Indian Youth Festival Puts Sexy Back in Dialogue About Safe Sex

Monday, March 2, 2009: NEW DELHI -- A recent youth festival aimed at raising awareness about health issues and HIV in India did something unique to draw visitors. Amid all the sobering talk of at-risk communities, safe sex and health care, the festival invited bashful attendees to talk about pleasure.

At one booth, visitors were urged to leave tips in a drop box under a sign that asked, "Can safe sex be sexy?" In another booth nearby, the use of the female condom was demonstrated to curious onlookers.

Rama Lakshmi, for  Washington Post.

Amartya Sen concerned over plight of children with AIDS

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen Wednesday expressed concern over the
plight of children affected by AIDS as also those orphaned by the
disease.

'I'm concerned about AIDS-affected children across the globe. Their
problem is indeed grave,' Sen said after launching a book 'Hopes
Alive: Surviving AIDS and Despair'.

Bombay News

HIV in Ludhiana and Amritsar: Alarm bells go off in district

The Punjab State Aids Control Society has sounded an alarm bell in the districts of Ludhiana and Amritsar that have the maximum number of HIV/AIDS cases in the state and have been put under Category A.

Despite the efforts to control AIDS in the district, the health authorities have failed to evolve a foolproof system. A separate AIDS wing had been set up in Ludhiana under the guidelines of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACO) under the district programme officer.

Ludhiana and Amritsar are the only districts where these special wings had been set up.

Anshu Seth, for The Tribune.

HIV +ve people to be offered jobs soon

CHANDIGARH: UT's State AIDS Control Society (SACS) intends to provide counselling to HIV positive persons from those who really know their troubles.
 
It intends to hire 10 HIV infected people for its integrated counselling and training centre (ICTC).

The posts will pay Rs 3,000 per month. They will be advertised soon. Those on the job will provide advice to HIV positive individuals and help them conduct their therapy.

Shimona Kanwar, for Times of India.

HIV/AIDS in India: The Wider Picture

A slightly different version of this article was earlier posted on
the web site of Women's International Perspective. Rupa Chinai
(rupachinai68@yahoo.com) is an independent writer on health and
development issues and is based in Mumbai.

Being HIV-positive does not mean death. It is the body's "red alert"
warning that the immune system should be immediately repaired with
nutrition through "real food", and a changed lifestyle. Despite the
enormous amount of money spent by India's AIDS programme, it has
failed to communicate this message.

Rupa Chinai, for Economic & Political Weekly.