http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/11/2271046.htm
UN boss wants end to travel restrictions on HIV carriers
Posted
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called for an end to discrimination against people carrying the AIDS virus, including travel restrictions imposed on them by some countries.
“I call for a change in laws that uphold stigma and discrimination, including restrictions on travel for people living with HIV,” he said at the opening of a two-day, high-level meeting in the General Assembly on UN targets set in 2001 to roll back the disease worldwide.
“Halting and reversing the spread of AIDS is not only a goal in itself, it is a prerequisite for reaching almost all the others [poverty-reduction Millennium Development Goals by 2015].”
He said that 60 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, “it is shocking that there should still be discrimination against those at high risk, such as men who have sex with men, or stigma attached to individuals living with HIV.”
“I am a person living with HIV and by revealing my HIV status publicly, I am taking a risk of being banned from entering this country and over 70 other countries around the world,” said AIDS activist Ratri Suryadarma of Indonesia.
A letter signed by 345 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) was sent to leaders and ambassadors of concerned countries to urge them to lift the restrictions.
According to UNAIDS, the global standard-bearer in the fight against HIV, 74 countries are subjecting HIV carriers to restrictive measures, including a mention of the disease on their passports.
Twelve among them – Armenia, Colombia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sudan, the United States and Yemen – barred entry to HIV carriers, often citing public health concerns and the high cost of treatment.
Innocent Laison, a member of the Senegalese NGO Africaso, denounced such restrictions, pointing that countries which impose them allow their own HIV-infected nationals to go abroad.
Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca, who lifted such restrictions in his country four years ago, backed the NGOs’ call.
“I appeal to the international community and all governments for the scrapping of walls and barriers which restrict the free movement of people living with HIV,” he said.
Meanwhile AIDS expert Anthony Fauci, the head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stressed the importance of prevention and continuing research.
He recalled that AIDS was discovered 27 years ago and that considerable funding was still needed to combat the disease.
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There are some simple steps all HIV-positive tourists can take regardless of their destinations to minimize chances of undue customs delays or outright deportation:
* Look healthy. Travelers who appear to be ill are likely to be targeted for indepth questioning or inspections.
* Be discreet and polite.Don’t draw any undue attention to yourself that could cause customs officials to pull you aside.
* Don’t advertise the fact that you’re HIV-positive. It pains me to have to give that kind of advice, but you might not want to wear a PLWHA t-shirt.
* Keep your anti-HIV medications in their original bottles, and do not attempt to hide the containers. If you’re hiding them customs officials may think they contain contraband and may hold you to verify that they are permitted into the country.Opening packages or taking pills out of their prescription bottles will delay your time in security(more info).
*Pack extra medicine and supplies when traveling in case you are away from home longer than you expect or there are travel delays.
*If you are taking injectable medications (e.g., Fuzeon, insulin, testosterone) you must have the medication along with you in order to carry empty syringes(more info).
*Depending on the circumstances it may be worthwhile taking along a doctor’s certificate (in English) which shows that the holder is reliant on the medication and that it has been prescribed by the doctor.Carry a copy of your prescriptions in your carry-on, purse, or wallet when you travel.
*You can ask and are entitled to a private screening to maintain your confidentiality. Show copies of your prescriptions and/or your medication bottles and if you have any problems ask to see a supervisor.
In general, the above points apply to entering countries with ambiguous or restrictive regulations: as long as HIV positive status does not become known, there will be no serious problems for a tourist. However, if someone is suspected of being HIV positive, or if the authorities have concrete reasons to believe they are, entry may be refused. Since october 2008 non-immigrant US visas are granted to HIV-positive people who meet certain requirements, instead of waiting for a special waiver from DHS(more info).
My philosophy on the whole issue is that it’s not an issue, so I don’t present it as one.And I’ve never had any problems over the years of extensive travel.
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I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.