On a flight to Cameroon, beginning a weeklong trip through Africa, Pope Benedict XVI said, “you can’t resolve [the AIDS epidemic] with the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, it increases the problem.”
That the Pope would question the value of condoms in fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS is truly disturbing.
Troubled by the Pope’s comments, the French Foreign Ministry said, “We consider that these statements are a threat to public health policies and the imperative to protect human life.”
The International AIDS Society on Friday condemned Pope Benedict XVI’s denunciation of condoms as outrageous and insulting, warning that his comments could fuel HIV infection in devout Africa.