February 28, 2008

Malawi Law Cracks Down on False AIDS Cure Claims

Malawi has drafted a new law aimed at stopping traditional healers from proclaiming they have a cure for AIDS and preventing religious leaders from encouraging HIV-positive people to give up treatment for prayer, reports Reuters Africa (africa.reuters.com, 2/26).

Though the specific details of the law have yet to be disclosed, Mary Shawa, principal secretary for nutrition and HIV/AIDS in the president’s office, says that any healers or religious leaders that stop people from taking antiretroviral drugs would face penalties. “These are desperate times and we need stern action to deal with these people misleading people," Shawa said in the article.

Reuters reports that earlier this month the Malawi Council of Churches said five AIDS patients died after their pastor advised them to stop taking antiretroviral treatment, telling them they’d been healed by prayer.

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