No Visa for HIV+ Foreigners and NRIs for Commonwealth Games. NGO

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No visa for HIV+ foreigners and NRI for Commonwealth games. NGO

Check HIV status before issuing visa to tourists for Commonwealth Games

PTI Monday, April 19, 2010 18:43 IST

New Delhi: To check spread of sexually-transmitted diseases during Commonwealth

Games, an NGO working for the welfare of prostitutes in the national capital has

asked the government to grant visas to tourists only after ensuring that they

are not HIV positive.

'Bhartiya Patita Uddhar Sabha' has asked Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad

and external affairs minister SM Krishna to instruct Indian diplomatic missions

abroad " not to issue visa to any foreigner or NRI without production of medical

certificate that he/she is HIV negative. "

" Similarly, no Indian, visiting abroad may be issued visa without production of

similar medical certificate, " the letter said.

Lakhs of foreigners are expected to visit Delhi during the sporting extravaganza

from October 3 to 14.

" That is why we have requested the Central government to check medical

certificate of individuals before giving visas to them, " NGO president Khirati

Lal Bhola said.

He said the mega sporting event poses a great threat and challenge to the

government to put a check on sexually- transmitted diseases.

" Any foreigner found with HIV, must be hospitalised and action taken against the

Embassy which had issued it, " he said.

According to National Aids Control Organisation (Naco), about 2.5 million are

suffering from Aids in India.

" It is expected that during the Commonwealth Games, the cases of AIDS may rise

further as thousands of foreigners apart from sports-persons and officials will

visit India to witness the games, " the letter said.

The NGO is working for the welfare of about 5,000 prostitutes in about 116

brothels at the G B Road in New Delhi.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_check-hiv-status-before-issuing-visa-to-tou\

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