JEDDAH, 16 October 2004 — Saudi citizens are critical of the Health Affairs Office decision to look into the possibility of employing AIDS victims.

According to Al-Watan daily, the office is exploring employment opportunities for citizens infected with incurable diseases such as AIDS provided they are able to work.

Health Affairs department has begun to survey those infected with terminal illnesses according to their qualifications and training skills so that details could be submitted to the Ministries of Labor and Civil Service. Most of the AIDS victims are unemployed and have severe financial burdens though some of them have high academic qualifications.

Dr. Nahla, a nutritionist at one of the local hospitals said, “Healthy people and those with special needs have a hard time getting jobs, let alone those with contagious and incurable diseases. The private and public sectors are finding it hard enough to place those. I think this is too premature to consider now.”

The coordinator of the national program Dr. Sanaa Abbas Filimban, told Al-Watan that the issue is being fully addressed. All sectors are being asked to respond and participate in stopping the spread of the disease and providing a comfortable life for those infected who are unable to look after their families.

Ahmad Salam, a 27-year old Saudi, is suffering from thalassemia which a genetic blood disorder that needs regular heavy blood transfusion. Unfortunately he was given AIDS infected blood. “It’s not just about not being able to actually work or not being qualified. I’m fully qualified and was working full time before I was diagnosed with AIDS,” said Ahmad. “Being a threat to all those around me is like being death itself on two feet. It’s bad enough that I’ve got the disease, I don’t want to be a murderer.”

Ahmad’s brother Badr, who is a university graduate, said: “I’ve been looking for a job for more than a year now with no success. I can make life easier for Ahmad if our financial situation is better. Let them get jobs for us first. If the healthy don’t have jobs, and the disabled don’t have jobs, and then those with AIDS don’t either... honestly what a mess!”