Bishop among Indians at global AIDS meet

[Guest guest]

Bishop among Indians at global AIDS meet

BANGALORE (ICNS): Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore will represent Church

among Indian delegates attending the international conference on AIDS, which

brings together groups working for AIDS affected across the world.

The 17th biennial conference named AIDS-2008 is scheduled to take place Aug. 3-8

in Mexico. The previous conference was in Toronto, Canada. The conference aims

at bringing together people working for people affected with this dreaded

disease.

AIDS 2008 will offer opportunities for the presentation of important new

scientific research and for productive, structured dialogue on the major

challenges facing the global response to AIDS, organizers claimed.

The organizers are developing a wide variety of sessions at meet the needs of

various participants and support collective efforts to expand delivery of HIV

prevention and treatment to communities worldwide. These sessions will focus on

transferring of knowledge and sharing of best practices.

In addition to the sessions, the conference also has scheduled a number of

activities, including satellite meetings, exhibitions, the Global Village and

the cultural programs, that are integral to delegates’ experience at the

conference.

Funding agencies, their representatives and government representatives,

numbering over 20,000 are expected to take part in the event, where interactions

are held with the agencies towards making them donate more generously towards

the global fund floated by United Nations.

Archbishop Moras represents the Health Commission of the Catholic Bishops

Conference of India, the agency that coordinates Church’s ADIS care work. The

Church runs some 6,000 small and big health care institutions across India.

According to National AIDS Control Organization (NAACO) India has some 3.5

million people suffering from the infection. But voluntary agencies working

among the people including the Church, say the actual figure might be much more.

A bigger concern in India, they say, is the fact that most infected are in the

age group of 15 to 30.

Until some years ago people afflicted with this disease died within eight to ten

years. But things have changed with Anti-Retro Viral drugs, which help he

affected life even 20 to 30 years or longer. However, many poor cannot afford

the expensive drugs. Agencies from all over the world also support ARV treatment

through global funding

http://www.theindiancatholic.com/report.asp?nid=10984