World AIDS day: A time to remember the harsh reality of this disease

BALTIMORE, Md. (CRS) - On December 1, 2006, Catholic Relief Services commemorated the lives of people living with HIV around the world, the suffering of those who have died from AIDS and the work of countless organizations dedicated to battling the pandemic.

CRS is at the forefront of the global humanitarian response to HIV and AIDS, working closely with partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the United States to expand the provision of care to people living with the virus. Together, HIV and AIDS pose one of the largest, most complex threats to human health the world has ever known. Great stigma compounds already tragic physical consequence. And in the developing world, the pandemic is devastating the physical, social and economic health of entire communities and regions. Not only do people suffer and die from this disease, it robs them of their dignity, their families, their social networks and their livelihoods. The Impact of AIDS As AIDS takes hold, the body weakens and strenuous work becomes impossible. If families lose key breadwinners, it becomes harder to provide food, shelter, and children's school fees and clothing. AIDS can also have a devastating impact on communities; as parents pass away, for example, the number of orphans in some villages can overwhelm local caregivers' abilities to provide support, breaking down the traditional structures. CRS and the AIDS Pandemic CRS programming in HIV and AIDS has evolved to help individuals, families and communities as they struggle through the physical, economic, social and emotional devastation of the disease. This year, CRS will directly help more than 3.5 million people affected by the pandemic.

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Reprinted by Catholic Online with permission of Catholic Relief Services (www.crs.org)