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Journalism of Courage
The controversy over whether sexual abstinence — favoured by the Bush administration — or condoms are more effective in the fight against AIDS erupted at a major conference on Monday.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni brought up the issue at the AIDS conference, saying abstinence was the best way to stem the spread of the virus.
His remarks are at odds with health experts, who back condoms as a frontline defence against the incurable disease. Uganda is a rare success story in Africa’s war on AIDS.
‘‘I look at condoms as an improvisation, not a solution,’’ Museveni said on the second day of the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok. He added fuel to a debate within the AIDS community over the best way to halt the spread of the disease.
Uganda’s ‘‘ABC’’ method — Abstinence, Being faithful and Condoms — is a model for Bush administration’s AIDS policies, which are under fire at the conference, for advocating sexual abstinence to stem infection.
The smaller US delegation at this year’s conference is seen partly as a sign of Washington’s displeasure that its approach appears to have had little influence on the agenda.
US Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the only member of Congress to attend the meeting, accused the Bush administration of using ideology to dictate policy. —(Reuters)
