Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference Statement on HIV/AIDS

We, the Catholic Bishops of Sudan, gathered at the Comboni Sisters’ Retreat Centre in Namugongo (Kampala – June 15th to the 24th – 2005) send our prayerful greetings to all the faithful in the Sudan from the land of the Uganda Martyrs.

Previous to our SCBC Plenary, we attended the 15th AMECEA Plenary Meeting in Mukono Kampala (June 5 – June 12-2005), which focused on the destructive consequences and detrimental scourge, which is HIV/AIDS. The AMECEA Bishops expressed their resolution with the words “the Good Samaritan, the Healing Christ”. It is a resolution to take notice of the struggling patients of HIV/AIDS and to assist them toward a positive life with the faithful compassion and love of the Samaritan.

The members of AMECEA (Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa) actually adopted fully the HIV/AIDS plan of SECAM, the members of (Symposium Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar), who was promulgated in their XIII Plenary in 2003.

Motivated by both the AMECEA and SECAM determination about HIV/AIDS, we the Sudanese people, must also seriously consider our approach about this terrible pandemic. It is a crucial life-concern that is now engaging everyone in the African continent. Only a global concern and well-structured approach can cure our continent from this scourge. Our appeal therefore is directed to every sector of our christian population and to all people of good will for our land of Sudan.

Government Leaders

It is upon our political, civil and military leaders that falls a large amount of responsibility to curtail and cure the HIV/AIDS pandemic by proper education, hospitalisation and treatment of patients. We need urgently a proper behaviour change and vigilance to prevent promiscuity, licentious behaviour and excessive intake of alcohol in our society. Education and awareness programs must diligently be provided in all schools, educational centres, social groups, and wherever people can be publicly addressed.

Our government leaders should also facilitate the procuring of testing equipment and drug treatment. They should also provide availability of drug treatment free of cost for HIV/AIDS infected patients.

Common Concern

All members of our society must grow in the realization that everyone has a responsibility in preventing, caring and providing awareness about HIV/AIDS. The family is the most appropriate environment for proper education, discipline, and renewal of Christian values for our society as a whole. Families must overcome the traditional reserve to speak openly on sexual matters to prevent the evil of HIV/Aids on account of ignorance and shame. People must overcome the fear of undergoing blood tests, especially young people who are about to enter marriage to prevent regrets later in their marital life.

Each of our communities must become aware and create awareness as well as generate compassion and care for HIV/AIDS patients. In our social environment we must protect our youth and adults from places of entertainment and associations that are conducive to improper moral behaviour. Parents and teachers must instruct children from their tender age about the risk of this new disease.

The Role of the Church

The Church as mother and teacher assumes her responsibility about HIV/AIDS by requesting all pastoral agents to acquire full knowledge and awareness of the disease and become strongly motivated to face this struggle with an effective spiritual, moral and curative approach.

The Caring and Curing Approach

We must bring about a total change of attitude toward people infected and affected with the disease. Let us develop a Christian spirit of open ears and open arms for HIV/AIDS patients. Our efforts must be directed to eradicate stigma and discrimination. We should not avoid to associate with people suffering from this disease and we should not refer them with offensive names or language. This would increase their pain and depression. Instead we should facilitate counselling, providing services and comfort to HIV patients through home based care and other initiatives.

The church intends to play a major role in eradicating the damaging myths of stigma and will try to challenge any social, religious, cultural and political norms and practices, which perpetuate such stigma. As a mother, the church will encourage people living with HIV/AIDS to become actively involved in our local communities as resource persons in the struggle against the pandemic.

As a faithful teacher, the church must instruct and give support to the practice of the virtues of compassion, love, healing, reconciliation and hope, knowing that these are healing values for people suffering from this disease.

In war time we did not pay attention to the risk of HIV/AIDS, but now with the overcrowded situation of returnees and migration of displaced population, we must exercise more awareness and greater prevention in order to keep this infection from spreading and becoming a merciless killer among our people. We do not need this kind of war.

We invite NGO’s and Aid agencies personnel to extend their assistance in the prevention of this infection and in the treatment of people infected with HIV/AIDS. Their contribution of drugs, testing equipment and every kind of comprehensive curative action would be vital for the fight against this viral disease.

Message of hope

To all who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS we address a message of hope. “You can still live positively with AIDS”. The church will strive to sustain you in your difficult struggle both through the ministry of our pastoral agents as well as by creating in our health departments areas of comprehensive medical treatment, counselling programs and by encouraging your participation in self-help programs. We therefore encourage everyone to overcome fear and shame and come out to be tested and receive the necessary care and treatment. Life can go on positively for those who dare to join the life-serving program of HIV/AIDS.

In conclusion we would like to repeat the essential message, namely that faithfulness to your marriage partner and abstinence from sex for young and unmarried people are the surest ways to avoid infection from this viral disease. Through a deeper life of faith, nourished in prayer and the word of God, we can refill ourselves daily with the Spirit that gives us “power, love and self-control”.(2. Tim. 1,7)

In all things be a “good Samaritan in the image of the healing Christ”. “We do not cease praying for you and asking that you live in a manner worthy of the Lord and in every good work, strengthened with His power, for all endurance and patience, with joy, giving thanks to the Father. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1.9-14)”.

We salute you in the name of the Lord Jesus.

The Catholic Bishops of Sudan