Aids victims urged to sue prophets

NATIONAL AIDS COUNCIL (NAC) board member Catharine Murombedzi has urged families that lost their loved ones to HIV and Aids after being misled by their spiritual leaders to stop taking medication, to sue.

Murombedzi said it was time a precedence was set to deter church leaders from misleading their flock by declaring spiritual healing of HIV and Aids when it has no known cure.

"It's up to the families of those whose loved ones have been misled by these pastors and faith healers after some prophetic declarations that one has been healed of Aids.

"I know legal costs at times are just too high, but lawyers for human rights could actually help you in such matters," Murombedzi said.

Some spirituals healers have made wild claims during crusades that they have powers to cure HIV and Aids and at times tell their members living with HIV and Aids to stop taking medication after their so-called healing crusades.

NAC chief executive Tapuwa Magure said in light of the new challenge possessed by the so-called spiritual healers, his organisation had now started engaging churches to curb the mischief.

"We have started talking to pastors in the churches to make them see logic so that they stop asking their members to throw away their medication after receiving the so-called spiritual healing.

"They should get that healing, but should continue taking their medication," Magure said.

Magure said the country should know that for now there is no known cure for Aids and all drugs that are used only suppressed the viral load.

"Aids is still incurable and all available medicines suppress the viral load and do not cure the condition."

Health minister David Parirenyatwa has condemned spiritual healers for misleading followers by claiming to cure Aids and other chronic ailments.