Bishop calls for state of emergency over HIV/AIDS

Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane has consulted with governments in Southern Africa, organised labour and non-governmental organisations about declaring a state of emergency over the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Ndungane, head of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, was reported as saying that the church's recent meeting of bishops had asked him to focus on having a state of emergency declared on World AIDS Day on 1 December this year.

He added that it was imperative for a united and concerted leadership to address the pandemic so as to avoid public denial and complacency, the report said.

"To that end we have already developed a working relationship with the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the SA Catholic Bishops Conference, the SA Council of Churches, African Indigenous Churches and other faith based organisations," Ndungane was quoted as saying.

"We can no longer afford to dabble in statistics and semantics. This whole issue is about real people who suffer real pain and are entitled to basic human rights. It is incumbent on all leaders in all sectors to move in unison and to move fast," Ndungane added.

The Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Africa incorporates South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Mozambique, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha. It serves more than two million members, the report said.