( CNN ) -- Pope Benedict XVI refused Wednesday to soften the Vatican 's ban on condom use as he arrived in Africa for his first visit to the continent as pope . Cameroonian President Paul Biya , left , walks with Pope Benedict XVI at the airport in Yaounde , Tuesday . He landed in Cameroon , the first stop on a trip that will also take him to Angola . Sub-Saharan Africa has been hit harder by AIDS and HIV than any other region of the world , according to the United Nations and World Health Organization . There has been fierce debate between those who advocate the use of condoms to help stop the spread of the epidemic and those who oppose it . The pontiff reiterated the Vatican 's policy on condom use as he flew from Rome to Yaounde , the capital of Cameroon , CNN Vatican analyst John Allen said . Pope Benedict has always made it clear he intends to uphold the traditional Catholic teaching on artificial contraception -- a `` clear moral prohibition '' -- Allen said . But his remarks Tuesday were among the first times he stated the policy explicitly since he became pope nearly four years ago . He has , however , assembled a panel of scientists and theologians to consider the narrow question of whether to allow condoms for married couples , one of whom has HIV , the virus that causes AIDS . It is still not clear how the pope will rule on the matter , said Allen , who is also a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter . The Catholic Church has long been on the front line of HIV care , he said , adding that it is probably the largest private provider of HIV care in the world . More than 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV , according to a 2008 UNAIDS/WHO report . Nine out of 10 children with HIV in the world live in the region , which has 11.4 million orphans because of AIDS , the report said , and 1.5 million people there died of the disease in 2007 .
Pope Benedict XVI refuses to soften the Vatican 's ban on condom use . He made comments as he arrived in Africa for his first visit to the continent as pope . He is visiting Cameroon , the first stop on a trip that will also take him to Angola . Score: 6