Press Release - Detention of people living with HIV/AIDS

[Guest guest]

Dear Sir/Madam

We along with INP+ (India Network for People living with HIV/AIDS, Chennai)

organized a press meet today (2nd November 2003, Sunday) at The Press Club of

Bangalore at 02:30 p.m. The Press Meet was addressed by Elavarthi Manohar

(Program coordinator, SANGAMA) and Prof. Hasan Mansoor (President, PUCL-K).

Given below is the contents of the press note.

The authorities at the Sahar International Airport (Mumbai) have detained 6 out

of 15 HIV+ people (who are HIV/AIDS activists) and quarantined them for not

possessing yellow fever vaccination certificates on 1st November 2003 at 02:00

hours. They were returning after attending the '11th International Conference

for People Living with HIV/AIDS' held in Kampala, Uganda from 26th to 30th

October, 2003. The activists belong to Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal and

Manipur including Mr. Vijay Nair (Udaan+, Mumbai) and Mrs. S. C. D'Costa (ICWA,

Pune).

The activists, before leaving for Uganda were advised by Govt. health

authorities

not to take 'Yellow Fever Vaccine' as they have suppressed immunity, same thing

was given in writing to some of the activists. We are attaching the copies of

letters from Kerala State AIDS Control Society and Health Services Manipur along

with this note. World Health Organization (WHO) clearly states that people

living with HIV/AIDS should not receive Yellow Fever vaccine

(www.who.int/vaccines/en/yellowfever.shtml)

Dr. Prakash Gaekwad, medical officer of the immigration department at Sahar

Airport refused to recognize these documents. Dr. Prakash Gaekwad also demanded

a bribe of US$100 from each activist, if they wish to avoid being quarantined.

The activists have refused to pay the bribe. The quarantine hospital has no

facilities: no food, no doctor, no proper toilets, no proper drinking water

facilities. Activists are forced to consume water and food provided by the

attendant by paying money. Activists do not know where the water/food comes from

and its quality. People living with HIV/AIDS needs to take proper nutritious

food and good quality drinking water at regular intervals. Bad quality

food/water and bad sanitation conditions can cause opportunistic infections to

them. Quarantine without proper sanitation, food/water and medical care is not

the right place for the People living with HIV/AIDS.

Officials from MDACS (Mumbai District AIDS Control Society), MSACS Maharashtra

State AIDS Control Society), NACO (National AIDS Control Organization), UNAIDS

and Mr. Fernandez (M.P. and Chair Person of Parliamentary Committee on

HIV/AIDS) have assured that the activists will be moved to a hospital with good

health care facilities soon, In spite of their assurances the activists are

still detained in the quarantine hospital in an isolated place with no

facilities.

with no facilities.

We demand to:

1. Immediately move the 6 detained activists to a hospital with good health

care/nutrition filities in Mumbai

2. Immediate suspension of Dr. Prakash Gaekwad for demanding bribe and for

treating People living with HIV/AIDS unfairly, followed by a Judicial enquiry

into the issue

3. Union Govt. to constitute a committee (with members from Health Ministry,

Civil Aviation Ministry, NACO, WHO, UNAIDS) to frame the procedures to be

followed travel regulation vis-à- vis People living with HIV/AIDS and implement

their recommendations in the next 30 days time

4. All state governments and Union Govt. to sensitize all its ministries on

HIV/AIDS issues, to address the stigma and discrimination against people living

with HIV/AIDS and to frame uniform norms and policies that are friendly to

people living with HIV/AIDS

In Solidarity

Elavarthi Manohar

Hasan Mansoor

Abraham K. K.

For more information contact: SANGAMA, Flat 13, Royal Park Apartments, 34 Park

Road, Tasker Town, Bangalore - 51, Phone: (080) 2868121/2868161

SANGAMA

Flat 13, 3rd Floor, 'Royal Park' Apartments

34 Park Road, Tasker Town, Bangalore - 560051

Phone: 2868680/2868121

Email: sangama@..., sangama@...

PUCL-KARNATAKA

46, Wellington Street

Richmond Town

Bangalore - 560025

Email: puclblr@...