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National AIDS Trust – the UK’s HIV rights charity – has responded to Nigel Farage’s comments on asylum seekers and accessing HIV treatment.
The Reform UK leader said he would ban asylum seekers with HIV from receiving treatment on the NHS.
Robbie Currie, Chief Executive, National AIDS Trust, said:
“Everybody in the UK, regardless of their immigration status, must be able to access the HIV medicine they need including throughout the full process of any asylum claims. This is both a fundamental individual right and completely in line with the medical consensus on public health and reduction of HIV transmissions, as someone on effective HIV treatment will have an undetectable viral load and can’t pass HIV on to others.
More broadly, the insinuation of health tourism in Mr. Farage’s comments do not stand up – there is no evidence that people come to the UK to be able to access HIV treatment.
The UK has an incredible opportunity to end new cases of HIV by 2030 and we must ensure nobody is left behind in accessing vital HIV care. Everyone living with HIV has a right to treatment and no one should ever be denied the medicine they need.”