BBC News Link

Some Catholics are even now trying to claim that the Pope meant that condoms aren’t 100% effective. That however isn’t how this reads to me:

A tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems

Even if condoms were only 50% effective against AIDS/HIV then they will still help – provided that people are also given the education to understand the risks. As I have stated before, and is true of so many things, education is the key. Without the correct skills, everything can be dangerous. Imagine being given a car and not told how to drive. Some people will work it out and end up getting from A-B quickly and safely. Many others will muddle through and work most of it out. But there will be some that drive straight into a tree at high speed and kill themselves. All it needs is a few lessons and virtually everyone will be safe(ish) drivers.

I don’t often agree with the French, but when something has driven them enough to protest I usually agree with the root cause.

Also, let’s not forget that according to the church even abstinence isn’t 100% effective against pregnancy.

BBC News Link

Unfortunately Africa is a very poor continent, and STDs like AIDS/HIV are rife. The two most effective methods of combating AIDS/HIV are abstinence and condoms. Guess which the Catholic Church thinks works? Sex is good, sex is fun, sex is completely natural. People always have had, and will continue to have recreational sex, and long may that practise continue.

This does however lead to the spreading of STDs, which takes a terrible toll on the populations of the various sub-Saharan countries. Therefore the only effective method to try and to bring this under control is to encourage the use of condoms. Various health agencies (including the UN) have instigated programs to distribute free condoms in Africa, but it appears to be too early for the programs to show any effect.

The thing is, the Catholic Church actually claim that the use of condoms might actually make matters worse! Reading through that article some of what they say does make sense (shock, horror, I’m agreeing with the Catholics!), but I doubt it’s as simple as they are making out. Like any big problem, it is highly unlikely that there is a single, simple, solution. The problem of AIDS/HIV in Africa needs a many pronged approach. Education has to be high on the list, teach people about sexual health, give them the knowledge, skills, and tools to make more informed choices. Make access to barrier contraceptives easy, and make sure people are aware of their proper use. And yes, promotion of a more monogamous lifestyle won’t hurt.