Doctors divided over Hepatitis deportation - UAE

[Guest guest]

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Health/10263889.html

Doctors divided over Hepatitis deportation

By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter

Published: December 01, 2008, 00:34

Dubai: Health officials are divided over whether a person with an infectious

liver disease should be deported under the UAE law.

Some say carriers of Hepatitis B deserve to remain and be treated while others

say deportation protects the population.

The UAE made Hepatitis B a " deportable disease " from July this year, requiring

all expatriates seeking new employment and residence visa to be free of the

blood-borne virus.

Other ailments inviting deportation are HIV/Aids and tuberculosis, but with a

difference: any expatriate who test positive for either disease at any time will

be automatically deported.

UAE nationals, who test positive for any of these diseases are treated, although

some may be barred from working depending on the disease.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Speaking to Gulf News after the launch of an awareness campaign on Hepatitis B,

officials of the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi disagreed over the necessity of

the UAE immigration laws pertaining to Hepatitis B.

Dr Mazen Taha, gastroenterology and hepatology consultant at Tawam Hospital in

Al Ain, told Gulf News that encouraging people to test for the disease was

important to prevent its spread. But the new law discourages testing.

Medicines

" The law will drive the disease underground [for fear of testing and losing

their livelihood]. If people don't get tested, the disease will spread, " he

said.

" There should be a change in immigration and health laws on different infectious

grades. If they are not infectious [by receiving treatment], they should be

allowed to work and stay in the country, " he added.

He said effective medicines were available to delay or prevent complications.

Anti-Hepatitis B medication costs about Dh3,000 monthly.

However, Dr Salem Awad Sabih, gastroenterology and hepatology consultant at

Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi, disagreed, saying it was too risky to allow

hepatits B carriers to remain in the UAE.

" How can [one] be sure their viral load is low [thus non-infectious]? " he said.

" I agree with the deportation law because it is the right to do. We have a right

to protect the country. I would like this country to be free of the disease, " he

added. He said fear of deportation and losing their livelihood should not

prevent anyone from getting themselves tested as doing so would protect

themselves, their family and their community.

[Guest guest]

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Health/10263889.html

Doctors divided over Hepatitis deportation

By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter

Published: December 01, 2008, 00:34

Dubai: Health officials are divided over whether a person with an infectious

liver disease should be deported under the UAE law.

Some say carriers of Hepatitis B deserve to remain and be treated while others

say deportation protects the population.

The UAE made Hepatitis B a " deportable disease " from July this year, requiring

all expatriates seeking new employment and residence visa to be free of the

blood-borne virus.

Other ailments inviting deportation are HIV/Aids and tuberculosis, but with a

difference: any expatriate who test positive for either disease at any time will

be automatically deported.

UAE nationals, who test positive for any of these diseases are treated, although

some may be barred from working depending on the disease.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Speaking to Gulf News after the launch of an awareness campaign on Hepatitis B,

officials of the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi disagreed over the necessity of

the UAE immigration laws pertaining to Hepatitis B.

Dr Mazen Taha, gastroenterology and hepatology consultant at Tawam Hospital in

Al Ain, told Gulf News that encouraging people to test for the disease was

important to prevent its spread. But the new law discourages testing.

Medicines

" The law will drive the disease underground [for fear of testing and losing

their livelihood]. If people don't get tested, the disease will spread, " he

said.

" There should be a change in immigration and health laws on different infectious

grades. If they are not infectious [by receiving treatment], they should be

allowed to work and stay in the country, " he added.

He said effective medicines were available to delay or prevent complications.

Anti-Hepatitis B medication costs about Dh3,000 monthly.

However, Dr Salem Awad Sabih, gastroenterology and hepatology consultant at

Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi, disagreed, saying it was too risky to allow

hepatits B carriers to remain in the UAE.

" How can [one] be sure their viral load is low [thus non-infectious]? " he said.

" I agree with the deportation law because it is the right to do. We have a right

to protect the country. I would like this country to be free of the disease, " he

added. He said fear of deportation and losing their livelihood should not

prevent anyone from getting themselves tested as doing so would protect

themselves, their family and their community.