France and Germany have weighed into the row over the Pope’s comment that using condoms aggravates the spread of the HIV virus.

Politicians in both countries accused Benedict XVI of distorting the scientific evidence and endangering lives by damaging the fight against the disease that is ravaging sub-Saharan Africa.

On Tuesday, on his first trip to Africa as Pope, Benedict told reporters that Aids was a “tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems”.

Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister, said that the remarks smacked of ignorance and intolerance.

“I am very worried by what has happened. I think this is opposite of tolerance and understanding and I am very sorry about it,” Mr Kouchner said.

In a passionate interview on French radio, Roselyne Bachelot, the French Health Minister, retorted that the Pope “proffered a monstrous scientific untruth” and was doing a disservice to African women, who already have “trouble making the condom that can protect them acceptable”.

Eric Chevallier, a French Foreign Ministry spokesman, added: “While it is not up to us to pass judgment on the doctrine of the Church, we consider that these statements endanger public health policies and the imperative to protect human life.

“Along with information, education and testing, the condom is a fundamental element of actions to prevent transmission of the Aids virus.”

Alain Juppe, a former French Prime Minister, was quoted by French television as saying that Pope Benedict showed a lack of understanding that verged on the autistic. “This Pope is beginning to pose a real problem,” Mr Juppe said.

In Pope Benedict's native Germany, Ulla Schmidt, the Health Minister, and Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, the Development Minister, dubbed his remark irresponsible.

“Condoms save lives, in Europe as well as on other continents,” the ministers said.

“Modern assistance to the developing world today must make access to family planning available to the poorest of the poor - especially the use of condoms. Anything else would be irresponsible.”