Letter: Aids in Zambia

Sir: Having visited Aids patients myself in Nkwazi Compound on Zambia's Copperbelt, I can confirm Mary Braid's conclusions about the problem of Aids in Zambia ("Journey to the heart of Africa's medieval plague", 14 September). But why must she try to lay blame at the feet of the Catholic Church for the spread of the disease? Apart from the fact that condoms are only a help in preventing the spread of Aids, the Church's position on sexually transmitted diseases is that couples should be faithful to each other and then there would be little or no risk of them catching Aids.

If people will not listen to the Church's teaching on sexual intercourse, why on earth would they listen to its stance on condoms?

Anyone refusing to use condoms because of the Church's teaching is surely also going to listen to its teaching on the faithfulness of marriage. There are other reasons (money and tradition) which prevent the use of condoms.