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HIV-positive Muslims warned against fasting

    JOHANNESBURG

    South African Muslims in the advanced stages of AIDS infection and on treatment have been cautioned against fasting during the current religious month of Ramadan.

    South Africa's Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) fears that set daily fasting times could negatively impact on the medication regimens of followers living with HIV and AIDS.

    Nigerian newspaper, This Day, quoted AIDS activist and MJC secretary-general Sheikh Achmat Sedick as saying: "You can't stay away from your medication. Some people are on regimens that start at 8am and it needs to stay that way. Changing [regimen times] may have negative effects."

    Noting that fasting was not compulsory for the terminally ill, Sedick said the sickly should still respect the fasting period and not eat in public.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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