Great Britain: All Immigrants to Have Compulsory HIV Tests as Cases Rise

Following a 26 percent rise in new HIV cases in just one year, the British Home Office and Health Department are drawing up plans to introduce HIV and TB screening for everyone who wants to move to Britain. A positive test will not necessarily be a barrier to entry, since ministers are concerned that the measure not be seen as an attack on asylum-seekers. However, the move may be combined with measures to restrict access to the National Health Service for those with pre-existing conditions. The move will have the backing of Conservatives, who said yesterday that such measures are vital "both to protect immigrants themselves and the general population of Britain." A source close to the review said that while there is no timetable for the change, discussions are at an advanced stage. "... We need to ensure that we have the mechanisms in place to implement the proposals immediately [once] they are announced. What we want to avoid is a six-month window in which people can take advantage of the existing system," the source said.

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