AFRO-NETS> HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination - a long way to freedom

[Gloria Katusiime <gkgloria@yahoo.com>]

HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination - a long way to freedom
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Gloria Katusiime, Kampala, Uganda
 
After five days of detention at Sahar International Airport, 
which services Mumbia, India, six persons living with HIV/AIDS 
who had been quarantined for alleged lack of proof of inoculation 
against yellow fever have been released. 
 
The six were traveling back home from an International Conference 
of People Living with HIV/AIDS, which took place in Kampala, 
Uganda. 
 
One of the detainees narrates that their horrific ordeal began 
when they reached Mumbia and were in line for immigration clear-
ance when they were taken out the line and asked to produce a 
Yellow Fever Certificate, a document proving inoculation against 
yellow fever.
 
Countries typically request that a person passing their borders 
show a Yellow Fever Certificate if he or she has just previously 
been in a Country where the disease is endemic, and Uganda is 
such a country.
 
However, in cases where the vaccine is contraindicated, as with 
people whose immune systems are compromised, an official state-
ment from a doctor to that effect is acceptable instead.
 
However the six told the medical officer of the immigration de-
partment that they were HIV positive, and went on to present the 
appropriate medical waivers. The medical officer refused to rec-
ognize the documents and demanded a large sum of money from each 
of them in exchange for letting them go. 
 
Failing to produce the money doctor insisted the six be detained 
in a quarantine hospital.
 
AIDS activists have since decried this treatment especially the 
stigma and discrimination that People Living HIV/AIDS face when 
their HIV status.
 
The discrimination that the six faced while in quarantine has 
also fuelled anger from International circles after learning that 
the detainees were locked up without access to proper sanitation, 
medication, food, or drink. 
 
The detainees say that while locked up they ran out of their 
anti-retroviral medication because they had packed just enough 
for their trip to and from Uganda. 
 
Already strong responses have been generated and many are calling 
for an end to this kind of discrimination against People living 
with AIDS.
 
The World Health Organization recently released a statement urg-
ing all countries to stop discrimination against People Living 
with HIV/AIDS.
 
?Even in the poorest settings treatment works, reduces discrimi-
nation and brings hope said Ian Grubb, WHO?s HIV Human Rights Of-
ficer.
 
According to WHO, 40% of Countries have yet to adopt anti-dis-
crimination laws to protect People living with HIV/AIDS.

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