EFFORTS to prevent HIV/AIDS at the community level would be more effective if Buddhist monks included educational messages about the disease in their sermons, said officials from a local religious-based non-government organisation.

U Myint Swe, the president of the Ratana Metta Organisation, said if monks explain about HIV in the context of recitations of the Five Buddhist Precepts, people will become more aware of risky behaviours associated with the disease.

“If monks can educate people about maintaining the precepts of abstaining from sexual misconduct and avoiding the use of intoxicants, and mix in health messages at the same time, it will be very effective in fighting the spread of HIV,” he said.

He said every Buddhist is familiar with the Five Precepts so they will pay attention to health information delivered by monks in connection with them.
U Myint Swe said monks can also provide psychological support to people living with HIV/AIDS by spreading the Buddha’s teachings.

“But there is still a barrier against people consulting abbots and monks about HIV-related problems because they think monks have nothing to do with HIV even though they ask for advice in other matters,” he said.

He said most monks also share the perspective that health problems and issues of disease prevention are not related to them.

“We will try to break down this barrier because there are many ways that monks can provide psychological support for HIV-infected people,” he said, adding that people who learn that they have contracted the disease are affected mentally before they are affected physically.

U Myint Swe said a clinic run by the organisation provides treatment for opportunistic infections in HIV-infected patients.

“But medicines can’t affect the mind, which can be made calm and peaceful by Buddha’s teachings with support from monks,” he said.

He said the organisation will organise a training workshop for 20 monks and nuns from Yangon from September 19 to 21 at its headquarters in Bahan township.

“The main aims are to show venerable monks and nuns appropriate ways to connect Buddhism with health issues without breaking discipline or codes of conduct, and ways to conduct counselling sessions using the Buddha’s teachings,” he said.

U Myint Swe said the participating monks will also be responsible for conducting peer-to-peer education sessions among other monks.

U Thein Swe, a project manager for the organisation, said a similar training program was provided for 20 nuns last May and they are now spreading knowledge among their communities while on their alms rounds.