Ethiopian Review

Reversing a 20 year old law described by right groups as discriminatory, the United States is gearing up to announce it is lifting the ban on HIV positive immigrants and travelers seeking to enter its territory.
The move, which is expected to be fully implemented before the current European year concludes, includes a lift on the current demand for mandatory HIV tests required of immigrants including those arriving on Diversity Visa awards (DV).
According to various international media reports the move follows the recent Congress repeal of the HIV travel ban in July this year.
According to a statement by the Center for Disease Control and Department of Health and Human Services issued early this week, senior US administration officials had proposed removing the ban and were accepting public comments until last Monday. The move is reportedly backed by President Barack Obama.
HIV/AIDS, alongside infections such as tuberculosis and syphilis which are listed as “most communicable diseases” by the US, will soon be removed from the list and HIV mandatory testing imposed against immigrants will be completely abolished.
Ethiopians are currently the leading African nation benefiting from the DV lottery. From 55,000 winners annually resettling in the US through the program, Ethiopians in recent years made up 7% of the overall figure, according to official data.
HIV mandatory testing was harder on DV winners particularly as until recently no waver of any kind was allowed on the visa category. Other visas categories allow for petitioners based in the US to have their relatives enter the country though they are HIV positive.
Dereje Shimeles, Law Researcher at the Tulane University Technical Assistance Programme- Ethiopia, explained that the mandatory HIV testing and travel ban based on the result of the test was a violation of Human Rights and international accords.
“Various rigorous researches, including in the US, proved that people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) pose no threat to the public,” Dereje commented to Capital adding that the implication of an economic burden also held no ground as a support for the old system. “Anti-retroviral therapies can suppress the virus even below levels of detection enabling a healthy, prolonged and productive life which allows PLHA to live free of any sorts of financial dependences.”
Dereje also said the likely lift of the ban would benefit Ethiopians and the rest of the world as well.
Officials from the public relations section of the US Embassy were not immediately available for comment.

- By Kirubel Tadesse | Capital Ethiopia