Migrants With HIV Virus Options

[Ben]

The UK medical journal the Lancet has critisised Australian Prime Minister John Howard for his comment about possible introduction of new migration laws to decline migration applications to Australia from applicants with the HIV virus. It is estimated that those who progress to AIDS could cost the tax payer quater of a million dollars each on things like Medicare Antiretrovial Therapy. Do you think migrants with the HIV virus should be refused entry to Australia?

[grant]

I think common sense must prevail in this situation.

Migrants to Australia must be fit and healthy, If they aren't (malaria, TB etc) then provided medication to remedy these maladies is not overly expensive then these treatments should be offered, on cost only basis, and administered in secure location (ie Christmas island).

Terminal, or untreatable conditions, I think should be able to enter Australia, provided they contribute the full cost of expected ongoing treatments. I believe this is what occurs with UK pensioners wanting to retire here to Australia.

On a side note, any migrant that enters Australia and knowingly spreads disease (AIDS sufferers engaging in vomit OFF TOPIC WEB SPAM _________OFF TOPIC WEB SPAM assaults for example) should be punished with a criminal conviction (obviously) and be stripped of their citizenship and deported, preferably to serve out their sentence in the original country of origins penal system.

[Cowbranna]

Can you think of a better way to get rid of HIV/AIDS in a country then preventing those infected from interacting with the general population?