Activists, UN want HIV travel restrictions erased

[951-Riverside]

Source: The Associated Press

AIDS experts praised the United States on Tuesday for ending its two-decade ban on HIV-positive people entering the country, and said travel restrictions by dozens of other countries are hurting efforts to control the epidemic.

U.S. President George W. Bush signed legislation last week repealing a rule that prevented HIV-infected immigrants, students and tourists from receiving U.S. visas without special waivers. The ban also held up U.S. adoptions of children with HIV. Seven nations still have an outright ban on entry for HIV-infected people, and more than 65 impose some travel restrictions on the estimated 33 million people worldwide living with the virus.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, whose native South Korea denies entry to HIV-infected visitors, said the restrictions "should fill us with shame" in his opening address to the AIDS conference in Mexico City, which brings together 25,000 officials, scientists and activists this week.

Ron MacInnis, director of policy for the International AIDS Society that organized the conference, said travel restrictions often force people with HIV to hide or even lie about being infected.

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