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Gay relationships should be legalised as a measure to control the spread of HIV/Aids.

Chief Executive Officer of the South African based Human Sciences Research Council, Prof Olive Shisana, told an international conference on HIV/Aids that failure by Governments in Africa to legalise the relationships has adversely contributed to the spread of the disease.

She explained that those who practised the behaviour did it secretly since it was illegal thereby failing to observe preventive measures.

“Statistics have revealed that gay relationships stood in the way of efforts to check the spread of HIV/Aids,” Shisana said in a key address.

Said she: “We should be ready to end taboos related to men who have sex with same-sex partners.”

Shisana spoke during the first day of the fourth edition of the Sahara International Conference on the social aspects of HIV/Aids at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, on Monday.

The conference, held in the Lakeside town for the first time, has brought together more than 5,000 participants drawn from all over the world.

Shisana pointed out that African governments needed to accept that gay relationships existed and could not be stopped.

“Why do Africans deny this gay relationships are a reality and they should be allowed,” she added.

She noted that countries that legalised gay relationships had recorded positive progress in curbing the spread of the epidemic.

Shisana pointed out that failure by some communities to circumcise men and wife inheritance were major factors that frustrated efforts to fight the disease.

She explained that despite most African countries setting targets for reduction of HIV/Aids prevalence, most of them had failed to achieve the goals.

“We recognise commitment by most African Governments to reduce HIV/Aids prevalence rate by setting targets, but it is a pity that most of them do not achieve these.” she explained.

She said that research by United Nations revealed that Uganda and Zimbabwe were among African countries that almost achieved such targets.

She added that women and children hardly access HIV/Aids treatment in the continent.

“Namibia is leading in provision of treatment to women and children,” she added.

She noted that 25 per cent of women and children in the country had access to such treatment and Botswana led in provision of anti-retroviral drugs to the infected.

She expressed concern over failure by the Government to address the plight of children orphaned by HIV/Aids. “Most countries have ignored orphans and left them to be exploited by inhuman individuals or institutions,” she added.

As a result, she said, most of the orphans resorted to crime to earn a living.

“Effects of HIV/Aids go beyond health hazards. It is to blame for escalating crime,” she pointed out.

Source: allafrica.com