Catholic Teaching on Life and the Challenge of the HIV/AIDS Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa
Drawing from Catholic teaching this paper acknowledges that these communities are obliged to provide pain relief for these victims. For reasons that will be studied in detail treatments beyond this should be regarded as extraordinary and therefore not an obligation. This is based on the fact that ordinary means of treatment are relative to the availability of resources. The resources in the sub-Saharan region are not sufficient to provide any treatment beyond pain relief. This papers focus is on Catholic teaching pertaining to morally necessary measures to prolong life in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub- Saharan Africa. The discussion will begin with the development of Catholic teaching on prolonging life and will continue with the principles of ordinary and extraordinary means. Then these principles will be applied to the socioeconomic conditions in sSA. (excerpt)