WINDHOEK —14 July 2010-(Southern Times)-Namibia has lifted travel restrictions on people living with HIV/AIDS, warranting entry, stay and residence in the country.
The reforms, which took effect on 1 July 2010 - also remove entry restrictions against people living with other contagious diseases.

Namibia's Minister of Home Affairs, Rosalia Nghidinwa in a statement delivered in parliament on Wednesday said the restriction was lifted in the interest of the country's national HIV and AIDS response efforts.

The minister admitted that it was an 'oversight' that the regulation was placed on visa application forms, which meant that people who were HIV positive would be turned down when applying for a visa to enter Namibia.

She said although there is no known case of enforcement of the regulation prior to its lifting, its existence created a wrong impression of Namibia as a democracy and its national and international commitments to a human rights-based approach to responding to fostered stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV and AIDS.

'The National HIV/AIDS Policy and frameworks clearly state the need for greater efforts to ensure that people living with HIV have full access to rights and services, and continue to participate actively in Namibian society,' said Nghidinwa

The regulation, before being amended, considered a wide range of 'infectious diseases as grounds for restriction by the ministry of home affairs and immigration such as tuberculosis, trachoma, syphilis, leprosy and Human Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus (HIV).

The amended regulation now only places emphasis on 'contagious diseases'. It now reads 'Any contagious infection or virus or disease (air borne or transmitted through casual contact) that exists or may develop from time to time that is declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern....’

The amendment, according to Nghidinwa, will be communicated to all of the country's immigration offices, points of entries, border posts, airports and Namibian missions abroad to educate and inform prospective visitors to Namibia on the changes made with regard to the visa application conditions.

UNAIDS, the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS welcomed the lifting of the regulations, noting that restrictions that limit movement based on HIV-positive status are discriminatory and violate human rights.

'There is no evidence that such restrictions prevent HIV transmission or protect public health. Furthermore, HIV-related travel restrictions have no economic justification, as people living with HIV can lead long and productive working lives', the UNAIDS said in a statement.

Online at: http://www.southerntimesafrica.com/article.php?title=Namibia%20lifts%20HIV%20travel%20restriction%20%C2%A0%20&id=4397&sid=a4b64bd09347ccd6ba82c98f6739ba4d