Migrants with HIV of concern in COVID-19 era

Marion MacGregor for InfoMigrants offers another layer of concern to the coronavirus pandemic.  People with illnesses, such as HIV and AIDS, are more vulnerable to the virus.  It is especially worrying for HIV-positive migrants who are undocumented or who cannot access treatment.

COVID-19 holds particular dangers for migrants who are forced to live and work “illegally” because they are living with HIV and are in a country where their HIV status is a grounds for deportation. For these migrants their irregular status means they are forced to use informal networks to access antiretroviral therapy (ART) or rely on their families to send them medicine. Others may try to share medicines or buy them locally.

Now, another factor is compounding the problems facing HIV-positive migrants: COVID-19, quarantine measures and the impact on economies worldwide have left large numbers of migrants stranded and without jobs, making it even harder for those with HIV to access necessary treatment.

KJ