HIV/AIDS Advocates Speak Out After Kenyan Cabinet Member Discusses Viability of Isolating People Living With HIV/AIDS to Control Spread of Virus

IRIN/PlusNews reports on the recent statements a Kenyan cabinet member about isolating people living with HIV/AIDS as a means of controlling the spread of the virus and reactions by local and international HIV/AIDS advocates. On January 28, Esther Murugi, minister for special programmes, during a meeting with member of the parliament on HIV/AIDS, was quoted as discussing the possibility of holding HIV/AIDS patients in isolation. "Jacqueline Sewe, a member of local NGO Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK), has called on the minister to either publicly apologize to people living with HIV or resign," according to the news service. Meanwhile, "[i]n a text message, the minister told IRIN/PlusNews she was not promoting the idea of isolation, but was merely suggesting it as one option," the news service adds (1/31).

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