UN boss: stop travel restrictions for HIV+ travellers

From the July 2008 issue of Positive Living • By David Menadue

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has called for an end to all discrimination against people with HIV, including restrictions on travel for HIV-positive travellers into some countries.

“It is still 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,” said Ban, addressing the UN General Assembly gathering to review the targets on HIV/AIDS set in 2001 held in the first week of June.

Seventy-four countries currently have travel restrictions against people with HIV – including Colombia, Iraq, Omar, Qatar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Solomon Islands, South Korea and the United States.

For more information on travel if you are HIV positive check out www.positive travel.info or ask your local HIV organisation for a copy of the resource Up Up and Away.

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This article was first published in July 2008.

While the content of this article was checked for accuracy at the time of publication, NAPWA recommends checking to determine whether the information is the most up-to-date available, especially when making decisions which may affect your health.