InterPress News Service (IPS); Wednesday, 9 April 1997.
Gustavo Capdevila

"Our role is to protect the health of the population. The church has another role," said Piot.

The international official said he did not know all the details of the split between the Chilean government and the two television channels who opposed the transmission of two publicity shorts in a campaign againts aids.

However, Piot praised the work of Chile's National AIDS Prevention Commission (Conasida), which "has one of the most active programmes in Latin America."

UNAIDS, the UN organisation co-ordinating the fight against AIDS, also registered other negative reactions provoked by the condom campaigns launched at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic more than 20 years ago.

"Some people or sectors of society do not find talking about sex acceptable, nor do they mention condoms an other related issues because they believe they promote sexual promiscuity instead of protecting people," said Piot.

"We know this is not the question. In such cases, the first thing we try to do is avoid to confrontation and talk with them," he said.

In Tanzania, said Piot, USAIDS works with the Catholic Church, which has presented a package of AIDS prevention measures, based on what they call "the three lifeboats."

Each boat has a name; "abstinence, fidelity and condom," and the key is to always be in one of these boats.

The Tanzanian Catholics' programme supposes that the stronger members of their community will climb into the first two boats, but the slightly weaker ones can shelter in the third.

However, the main message is that no one should be left in the water to drown, said Piot.

UNAIDS also carries out cooperation programmes with other religious sectors, including muslims and coptic christians.

In Senegal, the UN agency works with the National Association of Imans. In the temples each Friday, services are offered on AIDS and AIDS prevention, including the use of condoms. The message is always presented as a call to faith, abstinence and, when necessary, the use of condoms.

The director of USAIDS recognised the prevention programmes sometimes come up against opposition. "But the issue is that there is no active opposition and no-one is forced to choose between one option or another," he said.

Piot said his agency worked closely with Chile's Conasida, led by Doctor Raquel Child; "It is a very good programme because there is excellent interaction between the government and non governmental organisations." (END/IPS/tra-so/pc/ag/sm/97)

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