Al-Riyadh and Al-Jazirah newspapers recently covered the news of Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie’s meeting with a number of AIDS patients. The minister met HIV-positive Saudis to field their complaints about treatment by society and government institutions, which undoubtedly is a generous and humanitarian gesture.
One patient said he contracted the viral infection from a dirty blood transfusion at a state hospital. Another AIDS patient said he was informed of his HIV infection when he went to donate blood. He lost his job at a college in Tabuk.
Later, he said that when he confronted hospital officials about how his employer knew he has a heavily stigmatized condition, they denied having informed his employer. Others said they lost their jobs due to the perception that the virus could be spread by casual contact, such as hand shaking.
Perhaps these complaints will spur the Ministry of Health to do something for AIDS victims. Furthermore, I wonder how did the ministries of labor and civil service react to these grievances? On what basis were these employees suspended? What are the laws regarding the suspension of HIV-positive employees? What is the role of the Ministry of Labor in defending the rights of these people?
The ministries of social affairs, labor and civil service didn’t bother to send representatives to the meeting with Al-Manie. Why not?
Dr. Sana Flimban of King Saud Hospital pointed out that the hospital arranged the marriages of 12 HIV-positive men and women last year.
Why are the hospitals doing the job of the Social Affairs Ministry? According to the ministry, its work is limited to providing social and financial aid. Are they not also supposed to address abandoned and neglected cases of divorce, drug addicts, the homeless and women subjected to physical and emotional abuse by their families?
The Ministry of Social Affairs apparently misunderstands its job description.
