Finishing the Fight Against H.I.V./Aids

The fight against H.I.V./AIDS is being hampered by a continued stigma on those who are infected, a lack of access to appropriate medical care and fake antiretroviral drugs pedaled on the black market, said activists taking part in a Caritas Internationalis conference. Caritas brought together representatives of faith-based groups from all over the world to hammer out a “road map” to indicate the best ways to promote or provide early diagnosis and treatment for H.I.V., especially in children. The gathering was organized together with Unaids, the U.S. President’s Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) and the Vatican’s pediatric hospital, Bambino Gesù. About 80 people active in H.I.V./AIDS policy and relief work took part in the conference from April 11 to 13 in Rome.