26 Mar 2004

Call to improve Solomons AIDS information policy

1:53 pm on 26 March 2004

A top Solomon Islands health official says the handling of information about people having AIDS needs to be improved.

A health undersecretary, Dr George Malefoasi, made the comment amid concern over the recent publicity surrounding an AIDS patient at a Honiara hospital.

He says this is a human rights issue.

"We need to improve on these areas, such as reporting of initial reactive cases, maintaining confidentiality of patients, looking at the rights and human rights of patients, protecting them from abuse, protecting them from ill-feelings causing problems within their families."