Campaign launched for HIV-positive people denied access to stay in the UK

The African HIV Policy Network (AHPN) has launched a new campaign to highlight the situation of HIV-positive people in the UK who are being deported to countries where they have little or no chance of accessing HIV treatment.

There is a clear contradiction between this policy and the UKs policy aim of universal access to HIV treatment for all those who need it by 2010. The withdrawal of treatment increases the bodys vulnerability to opportunistic infection and will result in drastically shortened life expectancy.

The AHPN believes that there are strong public health arguments for allowing a concession. Those awaiting removal may go underground and fail to keep appointments resulting in an increased risk of opportunistic infection with the need for emergency treatment and an increased risk of onward transmission. The Department of Health has valued the prevention of one single onward transmission as between £500,000 and £1 million in terms of individual health benefits and treatment costs.

The AHPNs Destination Unknown Campaign is calling on the Home Office to delay the deportation of people living with HIV from the United Kingdom until antiretroviral treatment becomes more widely available.

The AHPN is also asking MPs to support the campaign by endorsing Early Day Motion 1556.

Please write to your local MP and encourage others (friends, colleagues, service users) to do likewise. If you are not sure who your local MP is, you can access this information at:
http://www.parliament.uk/people/index.cfm