I’ve just read this news, and this is very dis-heartening.

The government of New Zealand has urged hundreds of Zimbabwean refugees who fear they may be HIV-positive to take advantage of a special scheme granting them permanent residence despite their sero-status.

It surely cannot be true? If so, it is the most stupid and dangerous thing I’ve read.

In the UK, AIDS cases cost around £20,000 p/a ($58,135 nzd).
That’s JUST the cost of treatment.

Lets assume 500 come in, and infect (through chain reaction) 300 more.

So, we’ll assume 800 cases, living for 20 years.

800×20x58135 = $930,160,000 shiny New Zealand dollars.

Wouldn’t that money be better spent directing healthcare and education towards the countries themselves, rather than importing the problem?
Perhaps someone could tell Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, South Africa’s health minister, that garlic and beetroot DOESN’T cure AIDS

“South African deputy president Jacob Zuma said that he minimised his risk
of contracting the AIDS virus during unprotected sex with an HIV-positive
woman, by taking a shower afterwards.
Zuma also said he believed the chance of getting HIV from a woman was slim
for a healthy man. “

http://uk.oneworld.net/article/view/130760/1/6573

From The Reuters Foundation:

Babalwa Tembani is proof that the myths surrounding AIDS can be as deadly as
the epidemic itself. When she was 14, she was raped by an uncle who thought
he could cure himself of the disease by having sex with a virgin.

And the Catholics aren’t helping, either. From The Guardian

“The Catholic Church is telling people in countries stricken by Aids not to
use condoms because they have tiny holes in them through which HIV can
pass - potentially exposing thousands of people to risk. The church is
making the claims across four continents despite a widespread scientific
consensus that condoms are impermeable to HIV. “

The evidence goes on and on - no-one held a gun to these people’s head and
made them catch this - it was voluntarily contracted, and they are extremely
likely to spread it further.

If they aren’t careful, they’ll end up with this situation:

At least 150, mostly African, delegates sought asylum in Canada at the end of a conference on HIV/AIDS in Toronto late last month

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