[afro-nets] Nutrition Support for PLWHA

General afro-nets
1

Nutrition Support for PLWHA
---------------------------

Folks,

Greetings from Africa Youth Ministries. We are working on a nu-
trition support program for People Living with HIV/AIDS. Is
their anybody in the forum with ideas or information on how to
prepare Nutrition supplements using locally available ingredi-
ents such as maize flour, soya been, millet or sorghum flour
etc.? What would be the cost per person per month?

Waiting to hear from you. For further info visit our website:
http://www.aymu.org

Yours,

Albert Kunihira
Director
The Africa Youth Ministries
P.O. Box 20029
Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256-71-200009/75-200009
Fax: +256-41-251060
mailto:admin@aymu.org

2

Nutrition Support for PLWHA (2)
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Hi,

I suggest you get in touch with the UNFPA regional office in
East Africa. I think the programme director is a Gambian and I
have heard him make a presentation on the food programme they
have in place for PLWHAs and children affected by AIDS. They
have worked out what foodstuff to supply, the form, calories/
person and cost.

Good luck,

Ifedayo Adetifa MD
mailto:ifedayo_tiffy@yahoo.com

3

Nutrition Support for PLWHA (3)
-------------------------------

This is a good intervention, we are working with PLWHA, we are
also interested to work on this issue but have not yet started.
I have the information from one Hospital here in Tanzania, Kag-
era Region (Rubya Hospital Nutrition programme). They are pre-
paring the same thing. I shall try to contact them. They are
working not only for PLWHA but for all malnourished people. The
cost for 1 kg is 500 Tz shillings. A client may need 2 kg a
month for supplement. This will depend so much on the condition
of your client. I suppose we can make some study to find out the
cost, etc. etc.

Okey
Best wishes,

James Balongo
Tanzania
mailto:jbashweka1962@yahoo.com

4

Nutrition Support for PLWHA (4)
-------------------------------

Nutrition support has been the only affordable strategy we have
been using in our group in Kafanchan, Nigeria. We would like to
network with individuals and organizations who are better in-
formed about it than we are. We go this route out of necessity
not because we have empirical evidence of its superiority or
complementarity with other strategies. We have been impressed
with how some members have been able to continue their normal
daily lives with only this support.

I tried to locate the UNFPA East African contact, but had no
luck. Will appreciate getting the details, may be off the list?

Thanks,
John Dada
mailto:johndada@fantsuam.com

5

Nutrition Support for PLWHA (6)
-------------------------------

Hello Dr.

We have not met before but I have been reading a lot about your
work in Kafanchan. I am emotionally attached to Kafanchan be-
cause I grew up there and I had my primary school at Aduan. I
was where the school of nursing is now located. I also under-
stand that you are a member of the CBD-NGO forum. We are found-
ing members of the NGO. I teach at the Nigerian Defence Academy
with Dr. Karu your partner. Whenever you are in Kaduna do find
time to come around and see what we are doing in Care and Action
Research NGO (CaRE-NGO), near GSS Sabon-Tasha. Look at our web-
site too: http://www.care-ngo.com for more details about us.

See you one of these days.
Dr. Bala Dogo
Coordinator
Tel: +234-62-516060
mailto:care-ngo@wwlkad.com

6

Nutrition Support for PLWHA (7)
-------------------------------

Hello,

Another option is to check with the United Nations World Food
Programme (WFP) or directly the WFP nutrition unit in Rome. WFP
has programs in several countries where they support the local
production of fortified food supplements.

Hans J. Ebbing, MD
Senegal
mailto:hjebbing@sentoo.sn

--
[URL for WFP contacts: http://www.wfp.org/index.asp?section=8 ]

7

Nutrition Support for PLWHA (8)
-------------------------------

Nutrition and HIV: Loosing rights to choose Dietary Supplements!

Are you aware you're loosing your rights to choose? Have you no-
ticed your choices of natural health products for optimizing
your health are disappearing?

Why? Because of legislation passed by European Union (EU) Direc-
tive on Dietary Supplements and the fact that other countries
are bound to the rules and laws of the World Trade Organization.

In the early years of the HIV and AIDS epidemic, there was no
treatment. I was witness to and learned from people who were us-
ing vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanical supplements to com-
bat illness and/or boost their immune system. When the pharma-
ceutical drug AZT was first introduced as a treatment for HIV
and AIDS, instead I chose vitamin supplements as a means to
boost my immune system and stay healthy. I did not take HIV/AIDS
medications for 13 years, out of the 20 years I have been in-
fected!

It wasn't until 1997, I first realized the threat the Codex Ale-
mentarius posed. Throughout the years I have watched closely,
signed petitions and written to the Canadian government express-
ing my opposition to the German delegation's proposal to the
World Health Organization's Codex Alementarius, the Committee on
Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses.

I believed then, as I do now that if regulations are put into
place, my rights as a consumer of nutritional supplements will
be jeopardized. Dietary supplements which promote my well-being
will become more costly and harder to obtain, and no supplements
will be available for therapeutic or preventative uses without
prescriptions. Dosages will have minimal amounts with higher
costs!

By August of 2005, 5,000 products will disappear?

An imminent threat of being robbed of the right to choose!

Fight to keep our supplements!

We are not only ill informed but governments around the world
are making these deliberate legislative decisions without in-
forming the general public! The mainstream media as well has
avoided coverage of this legislation!

That being said, you can look to the Internet for all the de-
tails on how this legislation has been taking place, and get in-
volved!

Codex Alementarius
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_en.jsp

For more information on the European Union Directive on Dietary
Supplements and on the Codex Alementarius legislation, contact
the International Advocates for Health Freedom (www.iahf.com),
the American Holistic Health Association (www.ahha.org), or the
Alliance for Natural Health (www.alliance-natural-health.org).

Bradford McIntyre, HIV+ 20 years
Vancouver, Canada
mailto:bradford@positivelypositive.ca
http://www.PositivelyPositive.ca

8

Nutrition Support for PLWHA (9)
-------------------------------

Dear Bradford and All,

I have read avidly all the postings regarding this issue. First
I must say to you Bradford that I admire you and the inspiration
others must derive from you through your example of living posi-
tively with HIV/AIDS.

However, while I do believe in and would like to have something
natural like micro nutrients combat HIV/AIDS I think you should
appreciate that the present course or natural history of HIV
that you have now only occurs in a small fraction of the total
number of PLWHAs. It has been shown that even without complemen-
tary/natural therapies the "long term non-progressors" stay well
and run a much slower course of illness. Another example of
someone like you is Dr. Matemilola (I hope I have that down cor-
rectly). He is the president of the largest alliance of PLWHAs
in Nigeria. With this in mind, it should be emphasized even on
this forum that ARVs should be considered by PLWHAs who are not
in the same category as the few lucky ones like you.

However, I believe that the decision to start must be taken by
the affected person and not the attending physician and not un-
der so much pressure. I work with HIV infected children who are
a special category anyway and I have seen the joy parents have
when their child get well, regain lost milestones and return to
normal activity like going to school.

This is my contribution. I acknowledge that I have not even
treated HIV infected persons for as long as some PLWHAs have had
HIV and empathizing cannot be the same as being the patient. I
have had to take ARVs for 4 weeks for post exposure prophylaxis
and I appreciate that it is really difficult to take ARVs for
life, faithfully and managing adverse effects even with the mo-
tivation of wanting to stay well.

Ifedayo Adetifa MD
mailto:ifedayo_tiffy@yahoo.com

9

Nutrition Support for PLWHA (10)
--------------------------------

Although it would appear, due to the fact many people are not
OUT about their HIV infection or reporting how they are treating
their HIV infection; on the contrary, there are large numbers of
people around the world who are living with HIV! With or without
medications! Due to the fact that there is relatively no time
given by the media as to how people are living with HIV other
than with pharmaceuticals, there is however a vast amount of in-
formation on the internet. Including countless testimonials to
support there are more than just a few of us!

The difference I see between where I live and that of some of
the poorer countries is this: Here in Canada where I live, we
have clean drinking water and sanitation, a plentiful supply of
food and Vitamin supplements are also available and plentiful
here. How can anyone be expected to survive without these? How
can anyone be expected to tolerate the drugs without these? We
have access to healthcare which includes anti retro viral thera-
pies and protease inhibitors.

There was a time when individuals were put on HIV/AIDS drugs
just for having tested positive for the virus. There was a pe-
riod of years, where it was believed the best way to treat an
infected person was to "hit them early, hit them hard" with
medications. This practice has long since been recognized by
science, the medical profession and individuals infected, as the
wrong way to treat HIV and it was stopped for the most part.
But, depending on where you live this still is going on today!

In place routinely now; there are guidelines where the level of
CD4 count and the amount of viral load determines the appropri-
ate time for when to start treatment. With that said we must
also be reminded that HIV reacts differently in each person!

Individuals have been very successful using nutrition, exercise,
vitamin supplements and alternative and complementary therapies
which enabled them to stay healthy and avoid the need for phar-
maceuticals. As well, many people are including all of these
along with the HIV/AIDS medications with great success.

I am deeply concerned that in many places in the world that peo-
ple are being put on antiretroviral therapy just because they
have tested positive for HIV. A positive test does not determine
disease of progression to disease. It is important to have regu-
lar blood work. The only way to know how HIV is reacting in an
individual; is through regular blood work. Unfortunately, there
are places around the world where access to medical treatment is
limited or worse, does not exist.

There are obviously many strains of HIV and along with being in-
fected with HIV, many are not aware that they are also at risk
of being infected with multiple strains of HIV. An HIV infection
can also mean an infection of any number of STD's. Often includ-
ing, Hepatitis C of which there are four times the number in-
fected than those infected with HIV.

Lastly, I am taking HIV/AIDS medications and I have been taking
the HIV/AIDS drugs since 1998, so I know the importance of pro-
viding there use and there benefits. There is no doubt that I
would not be alive today if it were not for HIV/AIDS medica-
tions. Equally, I would not be here today had I not included and
incorporated the many uses of vitamins supplements and alterna-
tive and complementary therapies throughout all these twenty
years infected with HIV! I could not have gone without HIV/AIDS
medications for 13 years without the aid of vitamin supplements
and CAM. And, I could not have nor could I continue to deal with
the side effects of the drugs or increased the efficacy of the
drugs, without all that I have incorporated along with the
drugs. The same can be said for a great number of people!

Bradford McIntyre, HIV+ 20years
Vancouver, Canada
mailto:bradford@positivelypositive.ca
http://www.PositivelyPositive.ca

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Nutrition Support for PLWHA (11)
--------------------------------

Hello Bradford and All,

I completely agree with Bradford's comments and the issues re-
lating to living conditions, food and home security are particu-
larly relevant in the setting I live and work. Many of these
problems related to national poverty, distressed economies, il-
literacy and the list is endless predate the accelerated HIV
prevalence and incidence we see now. They require completely
wholesome approaches by governments and peoples in sub-Saharan
Africa to get them reduced and eventually solved but what do we
do in the interim.

As you may be aware, the criteria for starting ARVs as recom-
mended for resource limited settings by the WHO differs exten-
sively from what obtains in countries like yours. Clinical cri-
teria is often used in many places where CD4 counts are not
available, viral loads are not affordable nor readily available.
Most times, physicians who are competent in HIV medicine have to
start treatment for the very sick who have clinical AIDS and as
you know, the outcomes of such treatments compare unfavorably to
treatment started appropriately. Many of these issues contribute
to the difference in the natural history of HIV infection for
example in Africans compared to PLWHAs in North America and
Western Europe.

We really need to have in place immediate short term also long
term measures to improve the physical quality of life index and
economies of most African countries. If you have a long life ex-
pectancy even without HIV, it is likely that with HIV you are
likely to also do well compared to those who live in places with
life expectancy of 47-54 years (figures from some countries here
including mine).

The million dollar question is while waiting or appreciating the
need for the improvement of the overall quality of life of peo-
ple living in developing countries what do you do about the
prevalent diseases, in this case HIV/AIDS?

Ifedayo Adetifa MD
mailto:ifedayo_tiffy@yahoo.com

11

Vacancy: NEPAD Secretariat HIV and AIDS Contract Post
-----------------------------------------------------

(Senior Researcher: December 04 - March 05)

The NEPAD Secretariat is seeking a suitably skilled and experi-
enced African expert to work on aspects of HIV and AIDS Health
Policy and Strategy in Africa. The position will initially be
for a contract period until March 2005 in either a full-time or
major-time capacity. The successful incumbent will need to be
available by 1 December and will need to be based full-time or
at least major-time in Pretoria/Johannesburg, South Africa. The
overall content of the work will be to develop niche contribu-
tions by and better position NEPAD on HIV and AIDS. This in-
cludes the areas of international and continental HIV and AIDS
strategies, implementation of the Abuja Declaration on HIV and
AIDS, funding, country targeting and mainstreaming.

A senior professional salary is available, the details of which
are negotiable, based on the experience, qualifications and ex-
pertise of the successful candidate. Tertiary education in the
field of public health or equivalent and the ability to speak
French are added advantages, but not absolute requirements.

Interested candidates should submit a short motivation and their
CV to:
Mrs June Quin
by e-mail to
mailto:edrecruit@nepad.org

Should you require any further information please submit this in
writing to the aforementioned e-mail address.

All applications received by 15 November will be considered in
the first instance, but if an appointment is not made then, fur-
ther applications will be considered.

12

Condoms: Our most trusted method to prevent HIV infection!
----------------------------------------------------------

These three words echo around the world. AIDS CRISIS WORSENS!

* 40 million people infected worldwide

* 37.2 million adults

* 2.2 million children under 15

In 2004, 4.8 million people were infected and 3.1 million people
died.

Over 20 million people have died of AIDS.

Why is this happening? We have had nearly 25 years to stop the
spread of HIV and AIDS!

Why aren't people using condoms? AIDS awareness and prevention
programs have seen American government policies pull funding
from national and international organizations who promote and
provide condoms. Religious leaders continue to ignore the need
to promote the use of condoms in order to save lives and stop
the AIDS epidemic. This has fueled the debate and given rise to
the numbers who now promote abstinence, merely as a way to re-
ceive funding they would not otherwise receive. It is impossible
to eradicate the transmission of HIV and prevent many suffering
from AIDS when we have government and religious leaders under-
mining prevention efforts.

The majority of infections around the world are due to one sim-
ple truth that people ARE having sex without a condom!

>From the early 1980's, it was clearly understood that condoms
could prevent the spread of HIV infection and AIDS. Here in Can-
ada, prevention programs promoting and providing condoms are ef-
fective! The number of infections was significantly reduced!
This was made possible because of and through AIDS awareness and
prevention messages. Condoms were promoted through the govern-
ment, media and public health education. Equally important, pre-
vention messages were taken to the streets! Condoms were passed
out free in bars, nightclubs and saunas. There were Safe Sex
billboards and posters, stickers and even fridge magnets promot-
ing safe sex using a condom. It worked! This is still happening
today!

Canada has 57,674 known cases of HIV infection. Brazil and other
countries have dramatically reduced HIV infections through safe
sex campaigns promoting the use of condoms. This is not rocket
science! The answer is very simple. People ARE using condoms!

The use of condoms to prevent the transmission of HIV is our
most trusted method of HIV prevention, accepted around the world
with a success rate of 99% for condom use versus a failure rate
of 88% for abstinence programs.

Condoms not only prevent HIV infections but also prevent the
transmission of sexually transmitted diseases: syphilis, gonor-
rhea, chlamydia, human papilloma virus (HPV), herpes simplex vi-
rus (HSV), hepatitis A, B, and C. Unwanted pregnancies can be
prevented.

Sexual contact accounts for 95 percent of all new HIV infections
worldwide. When a person has sex without a condom, they are ex-
tremely vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

People are dying and many more millions will likely die due to
the lack of condom use. Sex with a condom is by far our best re-
source in preventing HIV infection through sexual contact.

HIV is at epidemic proportions and the only way we are going to
win this battle to prevent further spread of HIV is by EVERYONE
recognizing the high importance of using a condom and continuing
efforts to promote their use.

Bradford McIntyre, HIV+ since 1984
Vancouver, Canada
mailto:bradford@positivelypositive.ca
http://www.PositivelyPositive.ca

13

Condoms: Our most trusted method to prevent HIV...(2)
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Dear all,

I totally agree with Bradford.

"Condoms for Prosperity" must become a global slogan and every-
one must be motivated to use condoms. Condoms must be available
for free and freely thro' NGOs, worldwide.

Rid the world of AIDS / HIV must be the slogan. There must be
transparency and accountability in AIDS / HIV eradication.

Kris Dev in Chennai
with Peter Burgess in New York
International Transparency and Accountability Network
mailto:krisdev@gmail.com

14

Condoms: Our most trusted method to prevent HIV...(5)
-----------------------------------------------------

Dear all,

Please consider the stigmatizing and dangerous implications of
sweeping statements that condoms and/or abstinence are sure ways
to prevent AIDS. Let's be clear that there are other risks. Both
condoms and abstinence have their place in HIV prevention pro-
grams, but they are not the whole answer. Suppose a woman tests
HIV-positive and her husband tests HIV-negative. Are we supposed
to conclude that she didn't wear a condom, or had an outside
lover? Is that the message we want to deliver to all men? There
can be serious consequences for people when public discourse
about HIV persistently ignores non-sexual risks such as medical
injections, tattooing, dental care, etc. All these exposures CAN
be made safe very easily and cheaply, but I think this will not
happen until somehow the public becomes much more aware of the
risks, so that people insist on safe care.

We can be part of the process of fostering more public aware-
ness, or we can obstruct that process (and fuel stigma) by talk-
ing on and on as if sex is the only thing to worry about.

David Gisselquist
mailto:david_gisselquist@yahoo.com

15

Condoms: Our most trusted method to prevent HIV...(24)
------------------------------------------------------

I do not think AIDS is spreading because people ARE NOT USING
CONDOMS but that many are getting HIV/AIDS because they build
their trust in a latex rubber hence accelerate their promiscuity
and rascality with reference to sex outside of marriage.

In Nigeria, one of the Condom ad bye line is: WITH CONDOM, I DEY
KAMPE, a misquote of our President's statement to those who
thought he was on his way out of the Presidency.

What this means is that with Condom, you can go on so'n, another
local parlance for self confidence in the act of sexual rela-
tionship.

I believe the battle against HIV/AIDS is not more of condoms but
more of self restraint, ABSTINENCE WITH MUTUAL FIDELITY.

Why not go to the basics of letting people know the BEST PROTEC-
TION AVAILABLE: ABSTINENCE and not the promotion of condom. Af-
ter all, condoms marketing has been with us since the early part
of the fight against AIDS and yet the battle is far from being
won.

It is time to change strategy if we are to confront the scourge
FRONTALLY, without being label a bigot for a method.

Samuel Adikpe
Youth Vision Plus, Nigeria
mailto:youthvisionplus@yahoo.co.uk
or mailto:sadikpe@yahoo.com

16

Condoms: Our most trusted method to prevent HIV...(26)
------------------------------------------------------

Condoms alone do not solve the problem, but if you use a condom
during sex, your risk of getting pregnant is reduced by almost
90 %. Sperms are big cells, and penetrate ("infect") a lot more
effectively than a HIV-virus that can't even swim, and that are
not really that infectious. So why some people are so sure that
the virus slips through a properly used condom, I don't under-
stand. In my younger years we (my cohort) used the condom as a
contraceptive because that was all we really had, and it did in-
deed work pretty well. Now that STD protection and contracep-
tives are separate issues, the condom becomes a symbol of some-
thing we (most of us) don't like; that one (or both) of us may
have had sex with someone before and that it brings risk as a
third partner into the act. Thus, the meaning of condoms have to
change!

We have to separate the discussions between that of
a)not liking that people have sex with the wrong others and on
times that are not culturally appropriate, and that of
b) having means to protect yourself if you, for some reason that
you may have, chose to have sex outside or inside a culturally
acceptable relation.

If having a condom PRESENT increases the number of unacceptable
(to some) sexual behaviours, but makes it safe... it is totally
different from the fact that if the condom is not there, you may
die from the same behaviour. Let's be health promotion people
here, not pastors.

Johanne Sundby
mailto:johanne.sundby@medisin.uio.no

17

Condoms: Our most trusted method to prevent HIV...(27)
------------------------------------------------------

Dear All,

I can assure you that this debate will be endless as far as we
are not interested in finding the root cause or causes of the
increase in the use or massive importation of condoms into many
countries. How do you think the fight against the spread of
HIV/AIDS will be won when, on daily bases, more and more Porno-
graphic web sites are being created on the net. It is so pitiful
to find that in most Universities and even secondary schools,
students spend precious hours on Sex.com and other Porn sites.
They head straight with the packets of condom (readily avail-
able) to experiment on these.

Please colleagues, what's the origin or essence of these and
more sex provoking activities and how do we reconcile that with
increase in the use of condoms/spread of HIV/AIDS?

Charles Ogbaekirigwe
HIV/AIDS Programme Dev. Project
mailto:charlieogba@yahoo.com

18

Catholic Church fails to recognize the importance of condom use in the prevention of HIV and AIDS

June 27, 2007

The Catholic Information Service For Africa has posted an article titled
KENYA: Catholics Reaffirm Stand Against Condoms in fighting HIV/AIDS
http://www.cisanewsafrica.org/story.asp?ID=2330

It is unimaginable, with HIV infections numbering over 40 million people and 25 million deaths that the Catholic Church would fail to recognize the importance of condom use in the prevention of HIV and AIDS and continue to obstruct HIV/AIDS preventions methods with a stand which does not promote condom use and does not allow Catholics infected with HIV to use condoms.

While I appreciate the Catholic Church is trying to follow tradition, the world is under siege by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Villages, towns, cities and countries around the world are seeing HIV infections climbing; while the Catholic Church stands idly by allowing more and more infections to occur because of outdated ideas that are not suitable for the times. And what is needed!

As leader of the Catholic Church, the Pope has a moral duty and obligation to ensure followers are educated and lives are saved from HIV infections and AIDS deaths! Around the world, condoms are seen as a necessary requirement for engaging in sexual activity. Promoting condom use has not and does not promote promiscuity. Condoms prevent HIV infection and save lives.

The Catholic Church is promoting practices of abstinence and fidelity, which are widely known to have a high failure rate and allow more HIV infections!

Individuals are often infected with HIV because they have not received the necessary information on the importance of and how to use a condom and do not use a condom when engaging in sex.

Millions and millions of people, organizations, and governments around the world are working diligently to help prevent the spread of HIV infections and AIDS. It is past time the Catholic Church recognizes change is needed and that support of condom use is essential to combat the ever increasing number of HIV infections.

To due otherwise is to turn a blind eye! This stand also gives more and more people good reason to leave the church because they can not abide by old outdated traditions that people can not, will not, follow today. A grave disservice has occurred due to the Catholic Church's policies on condom use.

The evidence has already been made clear; condom use is a necessary means for curbing HIV infections.

Bradford McIntyre, HIV+ since 1984
Vancouver, Canada
mailto:bradford@positivelypositive.ca

19

I am surprised at the manner Bradford McIntyre took a swipe on the Catholic Church instead of addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS pandemic in the world scientifically. Even if you share condoms to everybody, those who want to have sex without it will. We must also realise that the church does not follow people to where they have sexual intercourse. Scientific reports indicate that there are more cases of HIV/AIDS in underdeveloped/developing nations than there are in developed countries. Does that mean that the Catholic Church in developed countries is less effective than those in developing countries? Can't Bradford see the role of poverty in HIV/AIDS pandemic? What are the rich nations doing about it? How many people in Africa can afford good, balanced 3-square meals? Does Bradford think that everybody lives in Canada? My advice for discussants on this respected site is that issues discussed here should be scientific as much as possible. Please let us avoid religious and political issues. Let us also suppress our emotions and sentiments as much as possible when we discuss public issues. Every religion/sect has believe/does one thing or the other that some one some where does not like, and all of these have one type of effect or the other on lives. SIN IS SIN NO MATTER HOW MODERN Bradford claims he is.

Martins Emeje
mailto:martinsemeje@yahoo.com

20

Change is needed from the Catholic church.

Scientifically, condoms have been proven to prevent HIV infection.
"Condoms are the only devices currently available that protect against the sexual transmission of HIV, and they are a mainstay of HIV prevention programs. The male latex condom is the single most efficient technology available to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections." http://www.unaids.un.na/unaids-publications.htm

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and leading AIDS researchers. "correct and consistent use of latex condoms can reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections."

Condoms4Life.org - Catholics For A Free Choice, has a petition on their website: Ask Pope Benedict XVI to Lift the Ban on Condoms
http://www.condoms4life.org/facts/CondomsAndAIDS.htm

From the time it was understood that condoms were effective in preventing HIV infection, individuals, groups, organizations and government leaders around the world have voiced/worked; to persuade the Catholic Church to change it's stand and promote condom use to prevent HIV Infections. And continue too!

Having lived infected with HIV for over 22 years, I am very much aware of HIV/AIDS issues at home and around the world. I have been an advocate for condom use, the need for proper nutrition, clean drinking water, sanitation, housing, alternative and complementary therapies/vitamin supplements, access to HIV/AIDS medications, accessible treatments for facial wasting/lipoatrophy and more, since going public in 1994 about being HIV+.

I have been collaborating with organizations around the world and have written articles on HIV and AIDS issues. An HIV/AIDS News section is on my website with articles covering HIV/AIDS News from around the world.

I am committed to doing everything I can to bring about HIV awareness and I will continue to promote the need for condom use and voice change is needed from the Catholic church; for as long as it takes for that change to occur.

Hopefully I will live to see the day!

Bradford McIntyre

Vancouver, Canada
mailto:bradmcin@telus.net