OUAGADOUGOU, Mar 20, 2001 (LSN.ca) – The Catholic Church in Burkina Faso is tackling the AIDS crisis after various anti-AIDS campaigns focusing on the distribution of condoms have failed miserably to check the advance of the disease. Fides news agency reports that the Church has launched a campaign among young people to encourage the reserving of sex for marriage and chastity and faithfulness in marriage. A TV campaign called “chastity and faithfulness,” which focuses on rejecting the use of condoms and encouraging moral behaviour is having success. Moreover, an increasing number of youth vow to live in chastity before marriage, and a youth association with this goal has been encouraged by the Archbishop of Ouagadougou Jean Marie Compare.
The Church also built and operates a Centre for AIDS in the capital, Ouagadougou, which treats terminal patients and has a capacity of 100. The Centre also provides home-care for 800 other sufferers. (Fides 16/3/2001)