Pretoria — Over 150 faith leaders from various beliefs gathered in Johannesburg today to further a national faith-sector initiative in the fight against HIV/AIDS - 'Faith in Action - a united response to HIV and AIDS.'

Speaking at the meeting, health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said that FBOs' key roles in this process were prevention activities, advocacy and leadership and care, support and counseling.

Religions and beliefs as diverse as Tamil, Hindu, ZCC, Moslem, Jewish, Buddist, African Independent Churches, Church of Nazareth (Shembe), Telegu, Baha'i and six different Christian denominations attended the meeting.

'Being positioned firmly within and linked directly to both infected and affected communities affords the FBOs the opportunity to tackle many of the intricate issues of HIV/AIDS,' said Dr Tshabalala-Msimang.

Over the past year, HIV/AIDS consultative workshops have been held across South Africa's nine provinces in order to support and strengthen the role of provincial faith-based leaders.

According to a statement, today's meeting was a culmination of this process and was convened by the health department.

Some of the objectives of the meeting were to reflect on the current responses of the faith-based sector to HIV and AIDS; explore key challenges facing this sector as it strives to contribute to the struggle against the epidemic and to provide a platform for sharing ideas and experiences to assist participants in planning their future HIV and AIDS initiatives.

'The challenge now lies in strengthening this sector's existing HIV/AIDS activities, enhancing faith-based structures focusing on HIV and AIDS and ensuring that each community of faith finds its own place along the continuum of HIV and AIDS care,' said the minister.

Dr Tshabalala-Msimang also asked the delegates to remember the 2002 World AIDS Day theme, 'I care enough to help - do you', which promoted strengthened care and support strategies for infected and affected communities.

She added that the faith-based practitioners were perfectly positioned to respond within the dictates of their faith.

The faith sector is said can reach millions of South Africans within their own communities and in a manner that provides appropriate and relevant care and support services in times of crisis - such as the current HIV/AIDS epidemic.

According to a survey conducted last year, more than half of these organisations involved in comprehensive activities against HIV/AIDS in the country, focus primarily on prevention.

Faith Organisations in HIV and AIDS Partnership (FOHAP) carried out the survey, in conjunction with government in December 2002.

According to the survey, a third of the organisations (35 percent) concentrated on advocacy and leadership, and a further 33 percent made care, support and counseling their priority.

FOHAP aims to assist the government's Khomanani HIV and AIDS campaign in developing FBOs as an effective sector for combating HIV and AIDS in South Africa within the broader national Partnership Against AIDS (PAA) programme.