/ 31 January 2007

ARVs for refugees

Aids related deaths in South Africa: 2 033 893 at noon on January 31 2007

The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has launched a new policy to ensure that HIV-positive refugees around the world have access to life-prolonging antiretroviral (ARV) medication.

In line with refugee law, the new policy calls for ARVs to be planned for and included in ‘the earliest possible stages of an emergency response to forced displacement”. The strategy will target most elements of the epidemic, including treatment for repatriating refugees, post-exposure prophylaxis in sexual assault cases, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

Source: IRIN