The Anglican Church in Nigeria has made it manditory for couples wishing to be married by the Church to first take a HIV test.
HIV tests are required to help couples make more “informed choices” when choosing marriage partners, said the Rev Akintunde Popoola, spokesman for the Anglican Church in Nigeria.
“The aim is to help intending couples to make informed decisions because we don’t want anyone to be kept in the dark about their partner,” he said, according to the BBC News website Friday.
“The whole point is for the couples to know their HIV status before getting married.”
Yet the church is careful to point out that it is up to the couple whether to marry in cases where one of the partners has the HIV virus. Popoola said the church will offer the couple care and support if they decide to tie the knot despite the discovery of infection in either or both partners.
Nigeria has one of the world’s highest HIV infection rates – trailing behind India and South Africa only. An estimated 2.9 million of the country's 135 million people were living with the virus in 2005, according to the latest UNAIDS report. Some 300,000 adults were newly infected with HIV in 2005.
Other non-Anglican churches in Nigeria have imposed similar tests on parishioners who want to marry, reported the BBC.
Western Christian leaders have also urged people to take HIV tests and for the Church as a whole to become more involved in the battle against HIV and Aids.
