New law on HIV testing in Botswana: The implications for healthcare professionals

Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine

 
 
Field Value
 
Title New law on HIV testing in Botswana: The implications for healthcare professionals
 
Creator Sarumi, Rofiah O. Strode, Ann E.
 
Subject Law, Human rights HIV-testing; Public Health Act (2013); Human Rights
Description Background: Botswana is one of the countries with the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world. Innovative HIV testing strategies are required to ensure that those infected or at risk of infection become aware of their HIV status and are able to access treatment, care and support. Despite this public health imperative, HIV testing strategies in Botswana will in future be based around the principles in the new Public Health Act (2013). The present article describes the HIV testing norms in the Act, and sets out the strengths and weaknesses of this approach and its implications for healthcare professionals in Botswana.Objectives: To compare international norms on HIV testing with the provisions governing such testing in the new Botswana Public Health Act and to assess the extent to which the new Act meets international human rights norms on HIV testing.Method: A ‘desktop’ review of international human rights norms and those in the Botswana Public Health Act.Conclusion: HIV testing norms in the new Public Health Act in Botswana violate individual rights and will place healthcare workers in a position where they will have to elect between acting lawfully or ethically. Law reform is required in order to ensure that HIV testing achieves the joint goals of public health and human rights.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2015-09-11
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/octet-stream text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajhivmed.v16i1.337
 
Source Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine; Vol 16, No 1 (2015); 4 pages 2078-6751 1608-9693
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/337/563 https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/337/564 https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/337/565 https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/337/555
 
Coverage Botswana, — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2015 Rofiah O. Sarumi, Ann E. Strode https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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