SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
FRANCISTOWN: The Mayor of Francistown City Council Sylvia Thabitha Muzila has expressed concerns over the growing trend of church leaders who discourage their congregations from taking ARV’s.
The city Mayor raised the concerns on Monday when addressing church leaders, cautioning them to desist from the deceitful practice as they hamper the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Muzila highlighted that her concerns come from a recent incident where one of the local churches allegedly encouraged its members who are taking ARV’s to discontinue them claiming they would be healed by the prayer. Though she declined to disclose the church, Muzila pointed out that they found piles of ARV’s which were allegedly thrown away by church members on the pastor’s orders. “We have found lot of ARV’s at a certain church. Those ARV’s were alleged to have been confiscated by the pastor who discourage the congregation against taking them. This trend has to come to an end because HIV cannot be healed by a prayer alone. These kind of church leaders are being deceitful to their congregations and have to stop this,” said Muzila.
The mayor implored all the church leaders to also take part in the fight against HIV/AIDS. “Church leaders should also be at the forefront to fight HIV/AIDS because they have a better platform to relay the message,” emphasized the Francistown Mayor.