The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Act, 2017 has been implemented, starting September 10, 2018.
The Act, which passed on April 20, 2017, prohibits discrimination against people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) in terms of treatment, employment and workplace.
Moreover, the act says that HIV testing as a prerequisite for obtaining employment or accessing healthcare or education is also prohibited. It says that “no HIV positive person shall be pressurized to disclose his/her status except with his informed consent, and if required by a court order”.
The Act safeguards the property rights of HIV positive people. The provision will be applicable in the matters relating to admission to educational establishments, managing property, operating bank accounts, care and treatment.
