Churches to distribute condoms?

Churches and other religious bodies may soon be forced to distribute condoms to their congregations as a means of minimising the spread of the HIV/AIDS among their members.

This is due to the inability of some members of their congregations, especially the youth, to abstain from pre-marital sex and refrain from adultery as their leaders had always preached.

Such extreme scenario was floated during discussions on various papers on the high prevalence rate of the HIV/AIDS presented at a business session at the just ended 43rd Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) at Koforidua.

The Eastern Regional Director of Education, Reverend Ama Afo Blay, who chaired one of the discussions, was among those who argued that, though churches continued to preach against all forms of sin, including fornication and adultery, "some members of the congregation continue to indulge in illicit sex".

She noted that, "since it is impossible to monitor the activities of every single member of the congregation at all times, it would be necessary to adopt measures which, even though may be against the faith of the church but prudent to prevent its members from dying in their sins".

Rev. Afo Blay, who is also a Minister of the Methodist Church, observed with concern the rate at which members of various churches were dying from the HIV/AIDS pandemic and warned: "If care is not taken some churches may soon be closed down".

She said her personal survey in the region had revealed that, "some of the youth even resort to the use of sachet for water as condoms at certain moments".

However, some of the doctors disagreed with the idea, saying it might compromise the faith of the religious bodies whose main objective was to promote strict adherence to good moral values and discipline in society.

They further argued that, such a policy could enhance the degeneration of moral values since the use of condoms could promote "open promiscuity" among the congregation.

They, therefore, called on the religious bodies to rather intensify their efforts at teaching their members to abstain from illicit sex instead of encouraging them to use condoms.