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IRIN PlusNews HIV/AIDS News and information service | Southern Africa | NAMIBIA: Health ministry declares social grants to HIV-positive people illegal | Care Treatment, PWA ASOs, Stigma Human rights | Daily


	Sunday 25 December 2005

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NAMIBIA: Health ministry declares social grants to HIV-positive people illegal

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

JOHANNESBURG, 25 July (PLUSNEWS) - The Namibian government has made a shock announcement disallowing social or disability grants to HIV-positive people.

A local newspaper, The Namibian, reported that the permanent secretary of the health ministry, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, had sent a circular to all senior medical officials informing them that any payment of these grants to people living with HIV/AIDS was illegal.

Shangula stated that the country's Pension Act made no provision for HIV-positive people to receive the grants.

The AIDS Law Unit (ALU) slammed the move, calling it a "short-sighted and disastrous new policy directive".

[ENDS]

MORE NEWS BRIEFS

Recent NAMIBIA Reports

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Growing controversy over teen pregnancy, ?20/Oct/05

HIV/AIDS takes sustenance as well as lives, ?7/Oct/05

Action plan for local authorities , ?4/Oct/05

Hope for AIDS orphans, ?28/Sep/05

Links

Le portail d'informations générales de la Côte d’Ivoire

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria

AEGIS

International HIV/AIDS Alliance

International Council of AIDS Services Organisations (ICASO)

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