HIV-AIDS is an ever growing and sensitive global health challenge. A seminar on prevention of HIV-AIDS was held in conjunction with 32nd FIMA council meeting held in Makassar, Indonesia last month in collaboration with FIMA HIV-AIDS resource centre based in Uganda and UNAIDS. The participants were told that UNAIDS and other concerned NGOs point to significant successes of the UNAIDS strategy of Fast-tracking the Response to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
Unfortunately there is significant increase in new HIV infections in many Muslim countries, including the Middle East, North Africa, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, in which HIV/AIDS prevalence is traditionally much lower than other parts of the world. The notions from contemporary prevailing social and lifestyle changes in Muslim countries point to expectations of possible increased HIV transmission.
Truly speaking, in the Islamic paradigm, HIV/AIDS is not considered as just a virus-induced disease, but rather a manifestation of a serious breakdown of socio-moral and behavioral norms afflicting human societies in varying degrees. The scientific evidence, revealed at the FIMA HIV/AIDS Resource Center, hosted by the Islamic Medical Association of Uganda, showed that high levels of religiosity manifested by high levels of practive of the five pillars of Islam were significantly associated with lower HIV infection rates among Muslim youth.
FIMA HIV-AIDS prevention project headed by Dr Abdul Hamid Qudeh has done a wonderful job in imparting training to the Muslim youth and community leaders to act as trainers to combat this ever increasing menace in the Muslim cities. So far, more than 15000 representative from youth and community organizations have been trained in more than 25 countries.
FIMA and many concerned workers caution against attitudes of false security from HIV and other STDs susceptibility, which may lead to complacency in adopting sound and sustainable policies and activities towards public awareness and prophylactic efforts.
FIMA and her IMA affiliates in many world regions have been concerned with the increasing trends of HIV transmission and disease in Muslim communities. Over the past several years, FIMA launched diligent prophylactic activities based on raising public awareness, and widespread training of local dedicated community leaders, especially among the youth, in collaboration with governmental, civil, social, religious, and educational entities.
FIMA training and public awareness activites utilized the latest scientific advances and epidemiologic knowledge, side by side with Islamic teachings and guidance that advocate values of self-disicpline, chastity, morality, decency, family centricity, and reject the expanding trends of promiscuity, homosexuality, commercial sex, drug abuse, and other behaviors, that will always undermine global efforts to effectively combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
FIMA welcomes sound collaboration and partnerships with UNAIDS and other stakeholders including governments, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, scientists and academia, women organizations, youth organizations, Muslim scholars, as well as Imams and Sheikhs, to fast-track the response to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
FIMA will specifically contribute the Islamic approach to the UNAIDS strategy of Fast-tracking the Response to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
FIMA calls upon UNAIDS to include the constructive roles of Islamic values and paradigm in the long struggle aiming at an AIDS free world for the whole of humanity.
Dr. Tanveer Zubairi
President, FIMA
