Churches, healers mislead HIV+ people

Organisations representing people living with HIV and Aids have accused Pentecostal churches and some apostolic sects of misleading their members by telling them to stop taking life prolonging medication for anointing oils holy water as well as healing prayers.

Zimbabwe National Network for People Living with HIV and Aids national coordinator Mngcini Sibanda told a thematic committee of the senate which deals with HIV and Aids that most of Pentecostal churches and apostolic sects were discouraging their members from taking anti-retroviral drugs saying they would be healed by holy water.

Zimbabwe has over 1.2 million people living with HIV and most of them are on drugs to prolong their well-being.

Sibanda some traditional healers were telling their clients to stop taking the anti-retroviral treatment for herbs, with such exposing the already weakened immune system to attacks by various infections.