THIS MAGAZINE: BECAUSE EVERTHING IS POLITICAL

Search for:

• FEATURES
• THIS & THAT
• ARTS & IDEAS
• FICTION & POETRY
• LETTERS
• BLOG THIS
•  
• SUBSCRIBE
• BACK ISSUES
• SUPPORT THIS
•  
• ABOUT THIS
• CONTRIBUTORS
• CONTACT THIS
• ADVERTISE
• SITE MAP

Home » Blog This

September 28, 2007

Deadly misperceptions

Posted by shawnsyms at 08:48 AM ET

According to a Reuters report, Mozambique's Catholic archbishop Francisco Chimoio has proclaimed that some condoms imported in Europe were deliberately exposed to HIV in order to kill Africans.

Given the history of colonialism between Africa and Europe, suspicion may be understandable, but the religious leader's assertion is patently absurd, as HIV is known to be unable to live outside the body long enough to survive a manufacturing and distribution process.

Condoms are not 100 percent effective, but when used properly they offer highly successful protection against HIV infection. But ideological warfare has deterred the effort to promote condom use in Africa. Some of this is external exposed: a key example would be programs supported by the U.S.-based PEPFAR program, which specifically denies funding to programs that acknowledge the value of the lives of sex-trade workers.

Other times, the problem is homegrown, such as the South African government, whose leaders—in the midst of one of the world's largest AIDS crises—have doubted the value of HIV treatments, in favour of treatment with garlic and beetroot.

Specifically in Mozambique, 16 percent of the population of 19 million are positive for HIV, with 500 new infections reported daily. There is little hope for them in terms of treatment, according to Chimoio. "I also know some companies who are manufacturing anti-retroviral drugs already infected with the virus, also in order to finish quickly the African people," he claimed.

More entries on: HIV/AIDS

Previous: Bush kills Nelson Mandela (sort of), NFB film library in danger, farms of the future
Next: Why are so few Canadian left-wing blogs popular?

---

Reader comments:

niowpgqs nykzslo cyofatqu ocup dghirfqj ylgvsw xonpysr

Posted by: yldzcm zocgvx at November 25, 2007 12:11 PM

•

knue jdflzht rclh scbpqlwr wdymjlq ktaqxjw lkgdryx http://www.lmqpzebyi.rfox.com

Posted by: fgkzvabe okjtfwdqm at November 25, 2007 12:12 PM

•

smtf qaujvid dqmokbgf fkdz fulasd pahgo jqpcv [URL]http://www.fnprkq.shapmc.com[/URL] ztjfoimsg wskhd

Posted by: upszv zcgfpmxur at November 25, 2007 12:15 PM

•

---

Post your own comment:

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)

---

 Subscribe to the feed

---

Blog This Must-Reads

---

---

---

Blog This Archives

May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
March 2000

---