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Ethical aspects of HIV/AIDS prevention strategies and control in Malawi

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Abstract

HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns have been overshadowed by conflicting, competing, and contradictory views between those who support condom use as a last resort and those who are against it for fear of promoting sexual immorality. We argue that abstinence and faithfulness to one partner are the best available moral solutions to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Of course, deontologists may argue that condom use might appear useful and effective in controlling HIV/AIDS; however, not everything that is useful is always good. In principle, all schools of thought and faith seem to agree on the question of faithfulness for married couples and abstinence for those who are not married. But they differ on condom use. On the ground, the situation is far more complex. We simply lack a single, entirely reliable way to resolve all disagreements regarding HIV/AIDS prevention strategies.

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Notes

  1. For a Christian approach, see Benedikt XVI [6, p. 10].

  2. There are an estimated 85,000 new orphans every year out of a total population of 12 million in Malawi [17].

  3. Even though 99% of adult men report only one sexual partner, focus group discussion suggests that there is significant under-reporting of sexual partners [10].

  4. In contrast, see [20].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Bioethics in Eastern and Southern Africa (CEBESA), Division of Community Health, University of Malawi College of Medicine, Private Bag 360, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, Malawi

    Joseph-Matthew Mfutso-Bengo & Francis Masiye

  2. Department of Business Administration and Law, University of Malawi – The Polytechnic, Blantyre, Malawi

    Eva-Maria Mfutso-Bengo

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  1. Joseph-Matthew Mfutso-Bengo
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  2. Eva-Maria Mfutso-Bengo
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  3. Francis Masiye
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Correspondence to Joseph-Matthew Mfutso-Bengo.

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Mfutso-Bengo, JM., Mfutso-Bengo, EM. & Masiye, F. Ethical aspects of HIV/AIDS prevention strategies and control in Malawi. Theor Med Bioeth 29, 349–356 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11017-008-9086-9

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