If immigrants are subject to health checks so that there is no undue burden placed upon the Australian public, why are African Refugees being assisted to settle here with HIV and AIDS.



When this revelation first hit the muck raking seedy end of the rumour mill, I for one, thought that it was totally untrue. How could the government not do health checks and weed out those with these potentially life threatening and epidemic spreading diseases. Further more how could we, the Australian people not be informed that this was happening.

I sympathize with these people and have heard many of their horrific stories of hardship, death, fighting, enslavement etc, but am at a loss to order my emotions regarding this situation.



Comments Please

Christine

I too am at loss to understand the bureaucracy surrounding the immigration process.

I have a white Zimbabwean friend who's been in Australia for 20 years but unable to bring her ailing mother here. She does not have any contagious diseases.

I'm also at a loss as to why we are being force-fed "fresh" produce grown or manufactured in China, where the product has been treated with organo-chlorines (and God knows what else!). Australia banned these hazards from use some 30 years ago.

In the US,China's export fish is under scrutiny, contaminated with all sorts of chemicals including formaldehyde.

Then there's the Chinaman who was apprehended manufacturing lard with sewerage.

Thousands of dogs and cats died in Canada after being fed pet food manufactured in China.

Recent cases of tuberculosis have emerged in WA.

Is this what one calls "free" trade under the guise of altruism?

It's an Australian bureauracracy gone mad and will cost our already ailing health system big time!

Dickie, one reason we are subjected to such chemical cocktails from China is our dependance on their custom for our resources.

The more economies are intertwined, the more 'rough stuff' the more dependant one will have to accomodate to keep feathers from being ruffled in the other party.

This is the sad and sick nature of international politics. You can well imagine the discussions behind closed doors between trade ministers.

Australia2China "We regret that we have to increase the price of our iron ore this quarter"

China2Australia "Ok.. we understand that, but hey, how about giving us access for our vegies and other this's and that's"?

Australia2China "Sure.. we can manage that"

And so it goes.

Politicians in democratic countries are people who have networks of interested parties. They are quite happy to sacrifice one industry segment for the sake of another, simply because it benefits those they are connected to. The public face of this or course is euphemistically described as "National Interest". How often have you heard THAT ? :)

CHRISTINE. On refugees etc, the difficult part is knowing how to structure policy such that it remains managable. If we opened our doors to all who 'would' come here, it won't be long before we are all dragged down to a great mess. Not to mention run out of water.

In summary I think no matter where the government draws that line, they will be praised by some and pillaried by others (too far)(Not far enough) etc.
Goes with the territory of being a government I guess.
cheers

Thanks for that Boaz.

Not being au fait with the economics of the world, I must ask, "What are the G8 countries doing about this dilemma?"

Surely they would have some influence in demanding certain standards from developing countries, prior to any trade or immigration arrangements?

Or has Australia and other G8 members simply become the sycophants of the new world order?

Christine, all migrants are subject to heath and charcter checks before they are granted visas. Health checks include tests for TB and hiv. However, some prior conditions, possibly tropical infections, such as Maleria, may not be detected overseas but get detected here when symptoms become apparent.

A migrant with hiv is not normally admitted to Australia, but an hiv waiver can be granted by the immigration case officer if the applicant can prove their good character and ability to work, pay taxes (covering the cost of their medication) and live a responsible lifestyle that does not put the lives of others at risk.

A blood borne infection, such as hiv, suitably treated with antivirals often reduces the vial presence to undectable levels in the blood. In other words, migrants who enter Australia under an hiv waiver are usually very low risk indeed.

Similar concessions are extended to Australians living with hiv and working in other countries. The biggest problem associated with the sensational and distorted coverage by our shock jocks and media TV celebrities. They pitch a story building fear and outrage. Sadly, they are usually successful in obtaining the program's knee jerk responses from State Health Ministers. Their policy responses usually stigmatise all people living with hiv and provoke racist attacks by supremacists against African refugees in particular. I recently heard a City Rail passenger of African ancestory being taunted 'a disease carrying nigger' just after this story broke.

Our media commentators do not seek balanced views and they undo years of work building trust and effective infection control in the community. At worst they risk sending patients underground, untested, unreported and living in fear of disclosure to their doctors, family and friends. It's these very conditions that has lead to the world's worst outbreaks of any infectious disease.

The Australian Medical Association have taken an ethical and sound policy position on this issue realising that public health issues should be dealt with according to tried and proven strategies

I have a close relative who works in the Health system and has daily contact with these African immigrants. Many have HIV and Hep C yet are allowed in the country, while White immigrants are refused entry for the same.

Quick response seems to imply that it is racist to complain of AIDS-ridden Africans being allowed amongst us. Isn't it racist to allow them in, but not the White HIV carriers? Oh, I forgot, it's only racism if applied to coloureds. Any injustice to Whites is not racist but probably deserved.

It's bad enough that irresponsible policies are allowing these ticking time bombs to walk amongst us, but what about the drain that they will cause to our already overloaded health care system?

Dickie, TB is once again becoming well established right across Australia, not just in WA. It's often been reported that it was the halting of compulsory chest x-rays in the early 70's that led to a resurgence, although in 2005, the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS) received 1072 notifications, but 1022 were relapses, so the figure of new cases were relatively low. In the same year, 9,000,000 cases were reported world wide. Yet even though Australia has a very low percentage of TB affected persons, 5-6 per 100,000, the Government states that most TB infection is found in immigrants who make up 69%-83% of notifications per year, so these statistics are bound to rise.
A full summary can be found at............
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/Publishing.nsf/Content/cda-cdi3101b.htm
It makes for very interesting reading if you're into statistics.

JSB every country in the world has citizens with HIV/AIDS. Our rates in Australia are very low compared to most other countries because we have well targeted public education programs promoting the safe sex message, excellent treatment facilities and effective outreach programs to hiv patients and the communities they come from.

Safe sex education does reach out to African Australians, particularly the sexually active youth. Young adults too often have unprotected sex leading some to contract hiv here in Australia.

Contrary to your assertion, Africans, are just like every other migrant, must take compulsory pathology testing before being granted a residency visa to Australia. It's standard practice and it's also the law. I have spoken to several African refugee friends and they all confirmed that was the process before being granted travel documents - the pathology tests are done at a government nominated laboratory and results sent directly to the immigration case officer.

You have nothing to fear from any African, Indian, American or anyone else you meet in the street, at work or socially from contracting hiv. Your chance of possible infection increases from zero if you fail to use a condom, exchanging body fluids with a person who's hiv anti-body status is unknown to you.

JSB, it's time you boned up on the epidemiology of hiv in Australia instead of just relying on what your friend said. Your response comes across as ugly racist scare rhetoric with no regard to the facts.

China is not alone when it comes to exporting dodgy food. When Japan finally lifted their ban on the importation of American beef the first shipment turned up pronto.

Japanese authorities tested the cargo, rejected it and put the ban back in place where it remains still. Mad cow disease. Traces of spinal cord and brain were among all that lovely Uncle Sam steak.

You have to ask yourself why Australia would need to import beef from anywhere, but according to our shiny new free trade agreement we just can't get by without that American cow.

Worth the price to buy local organic in my opinion.

On HIV and Hep C among black African immigrants, nobody seems to have an opinion on HIV and Hep C among immigrants from anywhere else. Are these diseases somehow more threatening when black Africans are carrying them? Or does this have more to do with fear of the latest batch of new faces?

Why cant African refugees from Sudan etc. go to peaceful African states why do they have to come here? I know we have some kind of signed agreement to take refugees but I dont agree with it. I think its madness. Immigration should be undertaken with a view to the avoidance of mass ethnic cleansing (tribal warfare), that means sending refugees to countries where peaceful members of like tribes and religious beliefs live. All refugees including the Sudanese are fleeing from just such ethnic cleansing but do we learn not to throw tribes all together in one country? NO! We continue to do so; thus setting the stage for more of the same. Fools.

Presently there are some 27 million sub-Saharan Africans suffering Aids. Two million died in 2005.

It is predicted that despite the deaths of Africans from Aids, 34% of global population, by 2050, will be African. Is this to mean more Aids, more poverty, more wars, more environmental desecration?

How will these countries feed their people? How will we feed their people? How can productivity can keep up?

Rather than bleeding heart posters mouthing off about non-existent racists on this thread, they should be reminded that no nation can continue breeding in the manner of Africa, China, India etc.

Chinese citizens are now protesting and objecting to the one child policy, anxious to increase their numbers! I thought the Chinese were an intelligent race!!

These nations must take responsibility for the uncontrolled population explosions in their countries where free condoms are available and rejected.

1. To eliminate Aids: Use condoms
2. To eliminate Poverty: Use condoms
3. To save the planet: Use condoms

The continuation of human population explosions is seeing the destruction of our eco-systems, and an unsustainable planet.

Soon, thanks to these irresponsible increases in population, it will be every nation for itself. We will not be capable of assisting others and I suspect these nations out of desperation, will then revert to the rule of the gun!

Australian authorities have worked diligently to ensure a high standard of living for its people. Sadly that high standard no longer applies to our ailing health system and we can ill-afford to take on the terminal illnesses of people from other nations. These nations have failed to act responsibly in curbing their population growth and are seriously compromising the health and survival of all humans on this planet.

Fair Go, I assume that you meant me when you addressed "JSB".
Just because Australia's HIV rates are low doesn't mean we should import some.

My "assertion" that Africans are being allowed in with HIV is a fact. I have a close relative (not a friend as you mis-quoted) in the medical profession who has told me this. Maybe it's true that your African friends were tested but that doesn't mean that 100% of refugees are, does it?

Maybe you could explain how my revelation is an "ugly racist scare rhetoric with no regard to the facts", especially as I am getting the facts from someone in the know. Where do you get your "facts"?

Chainsmoker, there is only one reason that I have only commented on HIV and Hep C among black African immigrants, these are the only examples that I have heard of. If you know of other races allowed into Australia in the same condition, you should write it in your next post.

I know that where I came from, testing was strict and carried out at place of origin. Fail tests = no visa.

Speaking of our chronically inept immigration department, the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) recently revealed that since 2000-01 more than 100,000 immigrants with tuberculosis had entered Australia.

And here I was foolishly believing immigration was meant to be for the benefit of the people already here.

The Australian reported:

"An audit of the Immigration Department has found that it knowingly allows migrants to enter Australia with serious contagious diseases but frequently fails to check up on whether they have sought medical attention."

It further stated:

"It [the ANAO] was also highly critical of the way the [immigration] department administered and monitored exemptions from the health requirements which have allowed foreigners with diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C and leprosy to enter Australia.

Visa applicants who fail to meet the health requirements can secure an exemption if they sign a "health undertaking" to report to a designated health authority in the relevant state or territory for a follow-up health assessment.

Up to 20,000 undertakings are issued each year - about 90 per cent for people with tuberculosis.

The audit revealed that a quarter of the 5535 health undertakings issued in 2002-03 were non-compliant.

There are no formal arrangements between DIAC and state and territory authorities to check whether people have honoured their commitment to undergo further health checks.

The audit also found that, even when visa-holders were caught breaching their health undertaking, they were still allowed to stay in the country."

Full article:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21750877-421,00.html

So, Australian taxpayers are not only servicing diseaded migrants, but also having their own health endangered in the process. The lucky country indeed.