Turkmenistan has passed a law to make HIV tests mandatory in an effort to reduce the spread of AIDS in the country.
The law, which aims to “create conditions for healthy families and prevent the birth of HIV-infected children” was published in the state newspaper is effective immediately.
‘The legislation on mandatory HIV tests applies to persons entering marriage, blood donors, person suspected of narcotics use, prisoners, citizens of foreign countries applying for work visas and stateless persons.’
An official from the country’s national AIDS Center, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the new law was “very necessary” given the “high risk” of the spread of the virus.
The official cited use of intravenous drugs, mostly sourced from neighbouring Afghanistan, and prostitution as the main means of transmission.
Other than “persons entering marriage”, the legislation also enforces HIV tests for blood donors, “persons suspected of narcotics use”, prisoners, citizens of foreign countries applying for work visas and stateless persons.
According to the law signed by President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the government will guarantee anonymity and free treatment for sufferers of the disease.
Turkmenistan, which remains largely closed to the outside world, has always downplayed the prevalence of HIV, a disease that attacks the human immune system and is transmitted from person to person via bodily fluids.
In 2002, the health ministry, which does not publish data on infectious diseases, claimed the country had only two cases of HIV and that both patients had been infected outside Turkmenistan.
