Following the news that the Catholic Church is considering its position on the use of condoms, the BBC World News service organized a live global radio hook-up to gather views from all corners of the world.

Brian Haill, the president of The Australian AIDS Fund Inc was invited to participate.
The following was his contribution:

"For us , The Australian AIDS Fund, a Catholic AIDS-care agency,(albeit one cold-shouldered by the church) the condom is not a birth control issue in our HIV-infected world but, rather, a lethal disease prevention issue.

The church's stance was posited on the condom as a (life)birth-control device at a time when HIV wasn't part of our world. Now, in our time, the condom is recognised as a device that will stop the transmission of death.

It's a right-to-life issue..and the sanctity of life must remain paramount.

It's undeniable that, globally, the Catholic Church has a fine record in regard to HIV/AIDS care...but the question that begs to be answered at the end of the day...let's make that the beginning of the day...surely has to be: "Isn't prevention the better option?

It's pretty sad to hear that an act of saving life (with a condom) can be regarded as "a lesser evil". They would not have been the words of Jesus 2006 years ago."