UN welcomes China's removal of HIV travel curbs

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed China's decision to remove travel restrictions based on HIV status.

"I commend President Hu Jintao for China's decision to remove travel restrictions based on HIV status," said Ban.

"Punitive policies and practices only hamper the global AIDS response. I urge all other countries with such restrictions to remove them as a matter of priority and urgency," he said.

The UN AIDS agency (UNAIDS) also commended the decision by the Chinese government.

"Every individual should have equal access to freedom of movement regardless of HIV status," said Michel Sidib, UNAIDS executive director.

"This is yet another example of China's leadership in the AIDS response."

Fifty one countries and territories currently impose some form of travel restriction on the entry, stay and residence of people based on their HIV status.

Five countries deny visas to people living with HIV for even short-term stays and 23 countries deport individuals once their HIV-positive status is discovered.

The announcement came ahead of the Shanghai Expo 2010, an international fair that is expected to attract millions of visitors over the next six months.

In 2009, the United States and Republic of Korea decided to eliminate travel restrictions based on HIV status.

The UN has repeatedly stated that discriminatory actions like travel restrictions does not protect public health.

The countries that impose some form of travel restrictions include Australia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sudan, UAE and Yemen.

Several other countries, including Namibia and Ukraine, have recently pledged to take steps to remove such restrictions, according to the UN.

He Tiantian, a woman in her 30s living with HIV and an AIDS activist, said: "This revision shows us a silver lining, because we have been advocating for the rights of PLWHIV for years, and now we know we didn't do it in vain".

Meanwhile, the government also narrowed the restrictive scope for mentally ill and tuberculosis patients to only 'severe mental patients' and those with infectious tuberculosis.

According to the statement, not all tuberculosis diseases are infectious and mental patients would not harm the country's social order and personal safety.

Statistics show that currently 110 countries and regions around the world have no ban on entry for HIV/AIDS carriers. The US and Republic of Korea both lifted the ban in January.