Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision (Kampala) - September 30, 2003
He said that condoms were invented for prostitutes and that such artificial methods of contraception promote immorality.
He advised that abstinence was the best protection against Aids.
Undoubtedly abstinence is the only complete protection against the HIV virus. A condom may be forgotten or misused in the heat of the moment.
Nevertheless condoms have a vital role to play in Uganda, both in combating HIV and in limiting population growth.
Uganda's successful formula for fighting HIV is to promote monogamy or zero-grazing, and for the youth to practice abstinence and delay first sexual encounter.
However human nature is frail and sex still occurs outside marriage, and always will.
Condoms are therefore needed to avoid unwanted children and to protect against the HIV virus.
This is indeed contrary to the teaching of the Catholic Church which sees any artificial form of contraception as a denial of the right to life.
But the church should recognise that Uganda is in a crisis situation.
The Aids pandemic has not gone away. Around 6 per cent of the population have the HIV virus and this figure could easily shoot up if we are not careful.
Simultaneously Uganda has the highest rate of population growth in the world after Angola and Haiti.
Ugandans are being kept in poverty because the benefits of economic growth are being frittered away on a larger and larger population.
Everyone understands that the Catholic Church is ideologically opposed to condoms. But in today's Uganda it would be more sensible if the Church stayed silent on the issue of condoms rather than voicing its opposition to condoms.
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