February 13, 2007 Washington, D.C., United States …. [Taashi Rowe/ANN]

A new study released February 8 confirms what many church-led health care organizations have long known: when it comes to HIV and AIDS, Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) are major players in providing critical long-term care. The findings of the report were discussed at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. during a meeting that drew more than 100 representatives from church organizations, the United States Congress, public policy groups, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

That WHO, a branch of the United Nations that commissioned the study, now recognizes the contributions of FBOs is significant, said Dr. Allan Handysides, health ministries director for the Seventh-day Adventist world church. Handysides echoed the findings of the report which noted that in the past many public organizations have overlooked the vital health services that religious groups have provided.

Some 40 percent of AIDS care is being administered by Faith Based Organizations in Lesotho and about 30 percent in Zambia, according to the report, “Appreciating Assets: Mapping, Understanding, Translating and Engaging Religious Health Assets in Zambia and Lesotho,” researched by the African Religious Health Assets Program.

With these results in mind Rev. Canon Ted Karpf, the partnerships officer in the Department of HIV at the WHO, and others, spoke of how important it was for government and other policymaking groups to include FBOs in any plans to attack the disease. “What FBOs are doing has long been undiscovered and unused at the level of governments,” he said.

Dr. Kevin DeCock, director of the Department of HIV at the WHO agreed. “Churches tend to have roots in the community and have no intention of leaving,” he explained. “They are not afraid of difficult places. … [So] any response to AIDS or any other major health crisis has to involve civil society and faith groups are a large part of that.”

The report also stated there were more 750,000 Christian organizations on the continent of Africa which outnumber hospitals and schools combined. And that number does not include organizations led by non-Christian faith groups. Several presenters explained that in this area of the world hardest hit by HIV and AIDS, governments cannot continue to ignore the contributions of religious groups.

Many at the meeting agreed that the results of the study is powerful and hope that this will be the first step that will bring governments worldwide one step closer acknowledging and funding the work of faith groups involved in HIV and AIDS care.

“What can we do about the shortage of doctors and resources?” Ambassador Jim Kolker, coordinator for the Office of Global AIDS in the U.S. Department of State, asked. One way to harness the ubiquity of FBOs would be “to find those already providing health care and add the element of HIV care,” he suggested. “Governments alone cannot possibly reach all the people in need. You don’t have to be a nurse to give an AIDS test or a finger prick test. We need to work with the community to empower those not in government.”

During the day the medical and spiritual contributions of various faith organizations were highlighted as examples of groups that could do more if they had more funding and recognition from governments. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Africa was mentioned several times, particularly for adopting a model developed by the church’s Adventist AIDS International Ministry (AAIM) office, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. That model envisions each Adventist church as a “support center for the community through church-based HIV/AIDS support groups.” Facilitating that level of community involvement, AAIM provides not only medical care and education, but also intangible spiritual encouragement.

Dr. Peter Landless, associate health ministries director for the Adventist world church, said that it was time for collaboration between not just the church and the public sector but also between varying faith groups.

Bishop John Chane, of the Diocese of Washington, closed the meeting by saying, “We must put aside [our differences] to address this huge blight on human creation. This is not going away. We can do a lot if we can find great partners, make a lot of noise and develop a great program that heals and saves. By doing this we can bring in [a] new generation that is AIDS free.”

Copyright (c) 2007 by Adventist News Network.

Image by Image by ANN. courtesy of Adventist AIDS International Ministry

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