AIDS 2016: Faith-based organisation needs to be more involved
The role of faith-based organisations is not just to help the poor and sick but also to address systems that oppress people and keep them in poverty creating the vulnerabilities that are seen in the HIV epidemic ravaging communities.
That's the view of Reverend Michael Shuenemeye of the United Church of Christ in the US.
He was a panellist during a briefing by faith based organisations at the 21st International Aids Conference in Durban yesterday.
He says the faith-based movement against the spread of HIV and Aids needs to be fast tracked if 2020 and 2030 HIV goals are to be achieved.
"I was a little bit alarmed last evening [Monday], when at the plenary all the sectors were represented at one point in there, but the one that was missing was the faith sector and faith can no longer be sidelined.
"We need to be as apart of this whole collaborate and I appreciate the work that PEPFAR and UNAIDS are doing to try and make that happen more and more" he said.
(File Photo)