The Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) has advocated proper conduct rather than the use of condom for the prevention and spread of the Human Immuno Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).
The body is admonishing young people, especially pupils of public and private secondary schools, to adopt healthy lifestyles as they grow into adulthood.
Deputy Manager, Church and Public Relations, of the organisation, Benjamin Mordi, made the call at a workshop and presentation of a book, “HIV/AIDS Pandemic: Conduct, not condom,” to pupils of Nosakhare Model Education Centre, Benin, Edo State as part of activities to mark the group’s tour of the Southsouth region.
Mordi explained that while huge resources had been deployed by the Federal Government in the provision of condoms as a preventive measure, BSN believes the right sexual attitude is an effective solution towards checking the spread of the virus which had claimed millions of lives and dreams.
“What we do in the Bible Society of Nigeria is to break any known barrier that will make the word of God inaccessible to people. We have translated the Bible into different languages and produced it in grails for the visually-impaired,” Mordi said.
“But beyond that, we, also care for the physical health of the people we produce the bible for. That is why we have gone ahead producing this material as our intervention strategy to stem the HIV/AIDS pandemic,’’ he added.
The Youths and Programmes Officer, Olayinka Moka, said the publication was targeted at teenagers, who, according to her, remain ‘’the most vulnerable in the society’’.
“We decided to write a book about conduct. We believe that is a major way to combat the pandemic in our own little way. We may not be talking about eliminating. We are talking about bringing HIV/AIDS to the barest minimum among the students first because they are young and adventurous. They are the most vulnerable,” she added.
