Belated, but powerful: The response of the Catholic Church to HIV/AIDS in five southern African countries

The Catholic Church's response to HIV/AIDS got off to a slow start in southern Africa, influenced by socio-political realities, by ethical dilemmas, and by an inability on the part of church and community leadership to recognize signs of impending calamity. Today the Catholic Church is a major provider of care, treatment and support to infected and affected people. Programmes in South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia, under the umbrella of the Southern African, the Lesotho and the Namibian Catholic Bishops' Conferences respond in diverse ways at local level. Programmes vary locally, some very basic, others very highly organized. Local initiatives are key. Local communities know what they are able to offer; outsiders sometimes trample on toes. Imported programmes often fail because they fail to address local conditions. Funding organizations can be a help or a hindrance. Local initiatives need encouragement, capacity building and financial support, not answers imposed from outside.