The Welcome Return of the "AIDS Heretics"

Interesting review in Spiked this week, looking at Elizabeth Pisani's "The Wisdom of Whores" and James Chin's "The AIDS Pandemic: The Collision of Epidemiology with Political Correctness" two of the current generation of "AIDS Heretics". While the earlier generation of "heretics" questioned the science of HIV (and have now largely been discredited, although sadly not in South Africa), this new generation are attacking the accepted wisdom on HIV prevention.

One of the big challenges is that most HIV epidemics do seem to be confined to certain "risk groups" - i.e. gay and bisexual men, commercial sex workers, intravenous drug users, etc, etc. It is more generalised only in parts of the world (mostly Southern and Eastern Africa) where networks of stable, multiple sexual partnerships exist.

The problem with saying any of this is that it immediately becomes ammunition for those who would stigmatise and marginalise these groups even further than they already are - and cuts against a common belief that women are not promiscuous in the same way (or to a similar degree) that men are. It also puts in to question a lot of the HIV prevention strategies that have gone on for decades, and the way that funding is allocated by donors and international agencies. And there is undoubted resistance to such a challenge to the current orthodoxy, as I have catalogued elsewhere.

The reality is that we should welcome these "heretics" for making us think again about how we are undertaking prevention work. The great challenge before us is how we effectively slow and halt the spread of the pandemic, especially in high incidence countries. Asking these questions and looking again at what actually works is vital to the future effectiveness of any prevention strategies. We do not have to agree with all that the new "heretics" say or prescribe, but we can value the hard re-look at the facts that their diagnoses force upon us.

Welcome

This blog will attempt to cover some of the issues in the HIV and AIDS arena that the members of the International Christian Medical and Dental Association are dealing with around the world - partcualrly looking at the engagement of faith, medicine and HIV/AIDS.

In the short term this will include a detailed report (at least day-to-day) from the Eurasia Regional HIV Pre-conference at the ICMDA Conference in Schladming, Austria this September (2008).

The aim of the HIV pre conference stream is to bring together Christians working in HIV & AIDS care, prevention and treatment across the region in order to learn from one another, explore new models of practice, look at how we influence our own churches and faith-communities to respond positively, and to strengthen networks of professionals working in the field

The ICMDA HIV Initiative grew out of the ICMDA International AIDS Preconference at Meroo, New South Wales in July 2006. It is a linked activity of the International Christian Medical and Dental Association. We are motivated by a belief in a loving God who cares about all the world's people regardless of health status, race, creed, colour or financial or social standing. We continue to encourage all Christian health workers, services, institutions, local congregations and communities to engage holistically in HIV and AIDS advocacy, education, prevention, care and treatment. We support the call for universal access to prevention and treatment as part of a right to health and dignity for all. To these ends, and other commitments highlighted in the Meroo Statement


The ICMDA HIV Initiative is involved in:

• An annual Dignity & Right to Health Award that recognises Christian health professionals making a significant impact in care and treatment of people and communities affected by HIV

• Running conferences and events within and outside ICMDA Programmes that seek to encourage, equip and empower Christian health workers involved in responding to HIV & AIDS.