UN recognizes Catholic Church as “excellent partner” in the struggle against AIDS

Rome, Italy, Jan 18, 2004 / 22:00 pm

The Vatican news agency Fides has published the recent comments of Desmond Johns, head of the UN’s Department for AIDS (UNAIDS), in which he stressed the important role of the Catholic Church in helping to eliminate the virus and help those who suffer.

Fides pulled the comments from an interview Johns gave to the Pontifical Mission Societies in Germany “missio Aachen,” in which he said the Catholic Church is an “excellent partner” in the struggle against AIDS.

Johns recalled the Church’s commitment to providing health care to people in the world’s poorest countries, particularly those suffering from HIV/AIDS and the Church’s attention to those widowed and orphaned by the disease.

Johns also emphasized the educational role of mission schools, saying ““Catholic organizations are of fundamental importance in the fight against HIV/AIDS also with regard to increasing awareness and responsibility”.