AEGiS-UNAIDS: UN Human Rights Expert Decries Discrimination Against Aids Patients

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

UN Human Rights Expert Decries Discrimination Against Aids Patients

United Nations (New York) - December 23, 2003

A United Nations human rights expert today hailed Mozambique's efforts to protect the health of its citizens but cautioned that policies must be translated into action in the southern African nation, where 13 per cent of all adults have HIV.

While praising Maputo's drive to raise living standards, Paul Hunt, the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the right to health, warned that much remains to be done to protect people against illness as well as the bigotry which can accompany it.

"I was shocked to hear first-hand of the extent of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in Mozambique - people being rejected by their families and workers being fired from their jobs," Mr. Hunt, who visited Mozambique last week, said in Geneva today.

While praising the Government for enacting anti-discrimination legislation, he stressed that it must be "vigorously promoted and enforced."

The Special Rapporteur also highlighted the critical role of medical workers. The Government's laudable policies, he pointed out, "cannot be delivered without more doctors, nurses, health technicians and managers enjoying better terms and conditions." He urged that more resources be devoted to addressing the issue.

While in Mozambique, Mr. Hunt held meetings with high-level government officials, donors, representatives of UN agencies and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs). He also met with people living with HIV/AIDS and the National AIDS Council. In addition, he visited hospitals and health centres in Maputo and in rural communities.

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