HIV & AIDS Bill: cabinet okays amendments

More than two years after it was introduced in  Parliament, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a set of amendments to the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014, aiming to secure the rights of the individuals afflicted with this infection.

Individuals will not be discriminated on the basis of their HIV status for employment, in educational establishments, access to healthcare services, residing in or renting a property and standing for a public or private office. The requirement for HIV testing as a prerequisite for obtaining employment or access to healthcare or education has been done away with.

The bill makes it clear that every HIV-infected person below 18 years of age has the right to reside in a shared household and enjoy the same facilities of the household.  For minors with HIV positive status, it has a provision for guardianship.

It prohibits publication of information or advocating feelings of hatred against HIV positive persons and those living with them.  There is also a provision of an ombudsman to tackle any dispute.  The bill makes it clear that “no person shall be compelled to disclose the HIV status except with his informed consent, and if required by a court order.”