Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Associated Press - Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000
Tony Fraser, Associated Press Writer
Winston Duncan of the Grenada Planned Parenthood Association said during the final day of a regional AIDS conference in Grenada that he supports the use of condoms.
"I am a realist," he said.
But his position was vigorously opposed by other experts, who said it is difficult to convince some people to use such protection. "The truth is, we need to go back to the Bible," said Dr. Emma Herri-Thompson.
The Caribbean has at least 360,000 people, or about 2 percent of the adult population, with AIDS - an infection rate that is second only to Africa's. Experts are especially worried about its spread among teen-agers. However, the region is religiously conservative, and efforts to distribute condoms in schools have met bitter opposition in some islands.
On Sunday, Catholic priest Peter Clarke said the teaching of contraceptive use is "truly insulting to the sexuality of human beings and is contributing to the breakdown in family life."
Health officials in the Caribbean have said they want to cut the AIDS rate by half within five years and say they need $50 million in international aid to treat people with HIV and AIDS.
A high teen pregnancy rate has many worried about a possible increase in unprotected sex. On Sunday, obstetrician Theresa Simon said one-fifth of baby deliveries at Grenada's main hospital are to 13- to 18-year-olds.
"We are talking plenty but not communicating with our young people, and we need to change our mode of communications if we are to bring change," Simon said.
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