Archbishop claims condoms infected with HIV

This is another one of those news stories which I thought must be a joke when I first saw it but according to the BBC Archbishop Francisco Chimoio ,the head of the Catholic Church in Mozambique, has stated a belief that some European-made condoms are deliberately infected with the HIV virus "in order to finish quickly the African people".

Archbishop Chimoio told the BBC reporter that abstention, not condoms, was the best way to fight HIV/Aids. "Condoms are not sure because I know that there are two countries in Europe, they are making condoms with the virus on purpose," he alleged, refusing to name the countries. They want to finish with the African people. This is the programme. They want to colonise until up to now. If we are not careful we will finish in one century's time”

Aids activists have been angered by the remarks: "We've been using condoms for years now, and we still find them safe," Mozambican Aids activist Marcella Mahanjane told the BBC. it is estimated that 16.2% of Mozambique's 19m inhabitants are HIV positive with an additional 500 infections every day.

The archbishop's assertion on infected condoms is preposterous and ranks alongside that of Gambia's president, Yahya Jammeh, who has claimed to be able to cure the disease by rubbing a green herbal potion into people's bodies. Creating scare stories about condoms is counter productive and will do nothing to prevent another 500 people becoming infected in Mozambique today.