Religious denominations in Africa are being told to emulate Seventh-day Adventist churches as models "of health and healing and treatment" for HIV/AIDS patients, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO, an agency of the United Nations, recently made special mention of Adventist churches, whose emphasis on healthy living has been a hallmark of its message since its earliest days.

"As a special recognition of the work of the Adventist communities, [the WHO committee] also adopted the idea that every church should be a place of health and healing and treatment, which has come from your tradition," said Anglican Bishop Rev. Canon Ted Karpf, who has been assigned to the WHO's Department of HIV/AIDS. "This level of sharing and commitment will indeed make the world a healthier place and give us the opportunity to bring God's people into a healthier and more responsive relationship."

This recognition of the Adventist health message comes as churches around the world--and particularly in Africa--are working with the WHO to implement a "3-by-5" initiative, providing antiretroviral treatment, or ART, to 3 million people living with HIV/AIDS in developing countries by the end of 2005.

The WHO reports that only 400,000 people out of an estimated 6 million who have HIV/AIDS have access to ART therapy, which can ease suffering and prolong life. Adventist leaders hope its churches embrace the call to help distribute medicines.

"Though we are a very small protestant denomination, we do have a history of health care involvement, and we need to be active partners in this initiative," said Dr. Allan Handysides, health ministries director for the Adventist world church.

"Also extremely challenging is the concept that this initiative will require collaboration by all players in the treatment arm of health care. Instead of dangling money in front of individual entities, for the first time in my experience we are having the WHO calling all players into partnership. This is to permit input at the conception and process development phase by all partners in health care," he added.

Dr. Handysides explained the availability of a three-drug-in-one-pill medication, screened by the WHO, and cleared as an effective first-line treatment by their experts, is what makes the program possible, and one that can be implemented at churches and Adventist health clinics.

"The new initiative is extremely exciting, because it offers for the first time the possibility of reaching, at affordable cost, the 3 million who currently die each year of HIV/AIDS, [and reaching them] by the end of 2005," he said.

The church's South Pacific Region is adopting a strategy that includes working with HIV/AIDS commissions. "Sadly, when we look at the countries in Africa, the percentage of infection among Adventists is no different to that of the wider population," said Johathan Duffy, director of health ministries for the church in the South Pacific. "The church in the South Pacific is playing catch-up on dealing with this issue."

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has, since its founding, emphasized healthy living and physical well-being. Health Ministries is a global initiative to help people live better, longer and healthier lives. [Editor: Ansel Oliver for ANN/APD]