Book review: The church and AIDS in Africaby Hina Dave
Aylward Shorter and Edwin Onyancha, The Church and Aids in Africa a Case Study : Nairobi City. Nairobi: Pauline Publications Africa, 141 p. Kshs 360/- Available from the Catholic Bookshop, Nairobi This book is the result of year-long research project carried out by two social anthropologists who live and work in Nairobi. The research was a survey of opinion among church leaders, pastoral workers and people involved in church organizations. The aim of the research was to evaluate the response of the churches to the AIDS crisis in Nairobi, to foresee future trends, and to make appropriate recommendations. The book starts with describing the dimensions of the AIDS pandemic worldwide and then explores what it means in terms of the Kenyan situation. AIDS statistics for the world as a whole show that by mid 1997, 30 million people were infected with HIV. According to UNAIDS' estimates, there were over three million new infections during 1996, and this worked out to about 8,500 per day, of which 1,000 were children. Of those living with HIV/AIDS, 42% were women and this proportion was growing. Sub-Saharan Africa represents about 60% of the world's current HIV infections, about 18 million people. East and Central Africa have 37% of all current infections on the continent. In terms of Kenya, what does this mean? In November, 1996, a national newspaper reported that 111 Kenyans die everyday of AIDS. Local reports also indicate that HIV/AIDS patients occupy between 30% and 50% of all hospital beds. Of all admissions to Kenyatta National Hospital, in January 1997, 60% were of people with HIV infection. And the numbers are growing. The cities of Kenya remain areas of notoriously high risk for HIV infection; in some of the worst-affected cities, 30-40 percent of pregnant women are found to be HIV-positive. What does this say about the future trends in Kenya? Despite the AIDS prevention programs and increased awareness about HIV/AIDS, HIV infection is increasing in Kenya. The statistics are common knowledge by now. The question being answered in this book is: what are the responses of NGO's and church related bodies to this scourge? The response that was elicited from these bodies is that a wide range of non governmental organisations, religious groups and others are actively involved in HIV/AIDS activities in Kenya. They include national and international NGO's, Community Based Organisations (CBO's), self help groups, private and parastatal sectors and professional associations. The main bodies involved have adopted a partnership approach, sharing information and pertinent strategies. This has enhanced their effectiveness. There is still much stigmatisation of the people who are affected and the authors devote a chapter to the various ways in which this discrimination reveals itself. They show that theological opinion can affect the response to AIDS. They give the example of the Jehovah Witnesses. In common with most churches, this sect forbids sex outside of marriage. They go further, however, and say that unmarried people therefore have no right to protection from HIV and they deserve what they get. Some of the ways in which the churches have responded to the HIV/AIDS pandemic involve the following activities: Visiting the sick, training of counsellors, provision of care to people who live with AIDS, as well as to AIDS orphans, income generating activities for the people affected and psychological and spiritual support. Separate chapters are devoted to the care of orphans, street children and youth, to the special problems of women affected by HIV/AIDS, and to prospects for behaviour change. A final chapter deals with AIDS and poverty in Africa and makes several suggestions for improving on HIV/AIDS policy. The authors say (in chapter two) that one of their objectives in writing the book is "to dispel some of the ignorance surrounding the response of the churches and the NGOs to the AIDS pamdemic in Africa." This book gives a good account of what the churches are doing (although restricted mainly to activities in Nairobi). It also gives a short overview of NGO activities. It belongs in every library and all centres dealing with the subject. It should be of assistance to everyone involved in any way in helping people to cope with the pandemic.
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