Pope Francis wrapped up his visit to Mozambique on Friday by consoling HIV-infected mors and children at a Catholic Church-run hospital in one of countries hardest hit by AIDS epidemic, saying y were a sign of hope for all those who need help. 

A comprehensive AIDS initiative 

Zimpeto Hospital is latest to be opened by Sant’Egidio Community, a Rome-based charity that helped broker Mozambique’s 1992 peace accord and n launched a comprehensive AIDS initiative to provide antiretroviral rapy to infected Mozambicans. Since its 2002 launch, project has treated some 200,000 people.  

Many of m are pregnant women who receive rapy to prevent transmission to ir unborn children. According to UNAIDS and World Health Organization, sub-Saharan Africa remains most severely affected region for HIV, with 1 in 25 ults living with virus that causes AIDS. 

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“You have heeded silent”: Pope

In his remarks at hospital, Francis praised willingness of hospital staff to embrace a seemingly impossible task. “This center shows us that re are always people rey to stop and show compassion, who do t yield to temptation to say ‘re is thing to be done’ or ‘It’s impossible to fight this scourge,’” he said. “Inste, you have set about finding solutions. You have heeded silent, almost inaudible, cry of countless women, so many of m living in shame, marginalized and judged by all.” 

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He urged staff and patients alike to keep hope alive, and always be willing to reach out to someone in need. “Having emerged from nightmare of suffering, and without concealing ir condition, y are w a sign of hope for many people,” Francis said of those treated for HIV. “ir willingness to dream can serve as an inspiration to many people lying by wayside who need a welcoming hand.”  

According to UNAIDS, in 2018 2.2 million people were living with HIV in Mozambique, 60 percent of m women. UNAIDS says re has been progressing in both AIDS-related deaths and new infections in Mozambique since 2010. Even so, 150,000 people were newly infected last year, while 54,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses. 

Catholic Church has poured tremendous resources into HIV-AIDS treatment programs across Africa. But AIDS activists still fault church for its refusal to emphasize condom use as a way to prevent transmission. Church teaching rejects use of condoms as part of its overall teaching against artificial contraception. Senior Vatican officials have long vocated fidelity in marri and abstinence from premarital sex as key weapons in fight against AIDS.  

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Retired Pope Benedict XVI reignited a firestorm over issue in 2009 when, during his first trip to Africa, he said condoms only me AIDS epidemic worse. Francis visited Zimpeto hospital before celebrating a final Mass in Maputo at a giant sports stium. He flies later Friday to Magascar for second leg of his weeklong trip to Africa. 

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