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Workshop focuses on black churches and AIDS
MONTGOMERY (AL) ADVERTISER (WWW)
10/05/2001
Source Website: http://www.accessmontgomery.com
Bill Daniel with the Alabama Department of Health Area 6, which covers eight
counties in east central Alabama, talks Thursday with Sheila Dooley-Edwards, who
headed a workshop addressing the effects of syphilis elimination and HIV. The
workshop was a part of the 14th annual Alabama AIDS Symposium.
(David Alan Planchet-Staff) By Jannell McGrew Montgomery Advertiser
For the first time, the Alabama AIDS Symposium offered a workshop Thursday
specifically addressing the role of the black church in HIV and AIDS awareness
and prevention.
According to the Alabama Department of Health, there were 6,488 adults who
have AIDS in the state. Of those, 3,884 -- more than half -- were black.
"We've got to do more because our people are dying," said the Rev.
Alberta Ware, a minister who works with Balm in Gilead, an AIDS outreach ministry
in Mobile. The advocate led the afternoon workshop on what black churches can
do to combat the disease in their communities.
"The role of the church is leadership. The role of the church is integrity,
self-renewal ... good judgment, boldness, collaboration and enthusiasm,"
she told the predominantly black crowd. "The role of the church is you."
Tony Thompson, executive director of the symposium, said the planning committee
added the workshop because of the tremendous growth of AIDS in black communities.
The room featuring the workshop on the role of black church was packed, with
more than 100 people attending the workshop. More than 500 people registered for
and attended the symposium at the Montgomery Civic Center, which started early
Thursday morning.
L.C. Washington, an HIV educator who attended the workshop, said many churches
remain afraid to address the issue because it means talking about sex. Part of
the problem, he said, is getting ministers to openly talk about the issue with
congregations and support outreach programs.
Ware told listeners that churches must do away with the stigmas associated
with people who have AIDS, ensure confidentiality to those who come to church
for help, collaborate with other churches to establish support groups and provide
testing.
Along with the church workshop, the symposium offered a montage of other topics
including AIDS and prenatal prevention, HIV and adolescents, and the use of hypnotherapy
in healing disease. There were also workshops on how preventing syphilis effects
the spread of HIV and AIDS.
"The presence of syphilis increases the transmission of HIV two to five-fold,"
said Sheila Dooley-Edwards, who led the syphilis workshop. She is also part of
a national campaign for syphilis prevention.
The Alabama AIDS Symposium ends today. There will be an opening plenary session
at 8:15 a.m. All sessions end at noon.
AIDS IN ALABAMA
Here are the number of AIDS cases -- 6,488 adults -- in the state:
Male (white) : 2,329
Female (white) : 275
Male (black) : 3,003
Female (black) : 881
Male (other) : 56
Female (other) : 11
Children younger than 13 : 72
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