|TOP|The Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly is demonstrating his support for the Scottish Executive’s Respect and Responsibility sexual health strategy with visits to a number of projects in Glasgow that support people living with HIV and AIDS.

One of the places the Rt. Rev. David Lacy will be visiting is the Barnardos Riverside Centre which provides various support services for families affected by HIV and AIDS, including asylum seeker families.

In the afternoon Mr and Mrs Lacy will speak about their recent visits to HIV and AIDS projects in Malawi and Kenya, as well as visits last week to similar projects in Edinburgh, at the Guild at Temple-Anniesland Church.

The day will be concluded by a meeting with the chief executive of Greater Glasgow Health Board as well as senior consultants to discuss the growing problem of HIV and AIDS in Scotland and some of the concerns raised by the Moderator's recent visits to Edinburgh, as well as the day’s visits in Glasgow.

|QUOTE|The Church of Scotland Moderator said: “Highlighting the impact of HIV and AIDS on the lives of ordinary people and their families, both at home and abroad, has been one of the themes of my moderatorial year. Having recently seen the valuable work done in this field in Malawi and Kenya, I am looking forward to meeting those living with HIV here in Glasgow.”

The Kirk’s recent HIV/AIDS Conference in Limuru, Kenya, made a number of bold calls, including the call for world governments to exempt anti-retroviral drugs from intellectual property laws.

He said: “While that measure would be most beneficial in African countries, our demand for an end to the stigma facing those living with HIV and AIDS resonates loudly at home, as does our call to ensure free access to medical care and the ready availability of emotional support.”

Rev. Lacy visited the Edinburgh projects on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, kick-starting his 2-day schedule of visits with a visit to the Abbeyhill-based Positive Voice, an HIV self-help organisation for people living with HIV, as well as their partners, families and carers.

Locals in the area living with HIV and AIDS benefit from the Positive Voice drop-in facility and advice on complementary therapies. The centre also focuses on advocacy work on the behalf of its service users.

The visit to Positive Voice was followed by a visit from the Moderator to the NHS Lothian Genito-Urinary Medicine (G.U.M.) clinic at the Lauriston Building in Lauriston Place, where he was led on a tour of the department and had the opportunity to meet the G.U.M. consultant and his staff.

Rev. Lacy also spoke with the patients themselves regarding the healthcare needs of people living with HIV and AIDS.