Kazakhstan: Access to HIV treatment in Kazakhstan for citizens and foreigner

In Kazakhstan, HIV treatment is officially free, the state provides patients with antiretroviral therapy (ART). But in practice, access to treatment depends on a person’s status: whether he has citizenship or a residence permit. Kursiv Lifestyle figured out how everything works and what to do in different situations.

How can citizens of Kazakhstan get ART:

First you take an HIV test. If the result is positive, you will be referred to an infectious disease specialist or a specialist of the center:
Next, you need to contact the AIDS center and report your result. The doctor conducts additional examinations and offers to register;
Registration is issued and you officially become a patient of the center;
After that, the doctor selects a treatment regimen. Antiretroviral drugs are given free of charge through the center, and the patient begins regular therapy.

Where to get tested for HIV for free and anonymously? You can take the test free of charge at the polyclinic by attachment or at the AIDS Center. Private medical centers also provide this service, but for a fee.

If complete anonymity is important, it is better to go to the AIDS Center or a private laboratory. In case of anonymous contact, no documents are required, you will be assigned a number known only to you.

Another anonymous way is to order a free express home test through the website hivtest.kz. This can be done today in 5 cities: Almaty, Astana, Karaganda, Ust-Kamenogorsk and Pavlodar.

Testing is included in the guaranteed amount of free medical care. This means that it can be passed even without registration or documents.

Where to register? To get therapy, you need to register at the AIDS center, they are in every major city. It is through this system that drugs are prescribed and issued.

This usually happens in the same institutions where testing is carried out – regional centers and polyclinics.

You can find out the address of the AIDS center in your city on the website of the Kazakh Scientific Center of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases.

What should I do if I don’t register in the system? The lack of registration complicates the process, but does not make it impossible. In any case, you can take the test for free and anonymously. Problems begin at the registration stage, as the system usually requires IIN or attachment to a polyclinic.

There are options: temporary attachment to the polyclinic or registration through the AIDS center itself. If there are refusals, it is recommended to apply again or to another center – decisions are often made individually.

What should foreigners do

The situation depends on the status of stay in the country. Foreigners with a residence permit (residence permit) have the same rights as citizens of Kazakhstan. They can get tested, register and receive therapy for free.

If there is no residence permit? If a person is in the country temporarily (under the RWP), he is entitled to free tests and consultations, but free ART is not guaranteed by law. But there is international donor funding and NGOs through which some people receive therapy or emergency support.

Then the person needs to contact the nearest AIDS Center as soon as possible and clarify whether it is possible to get into the donor program. The main source of such assistance is the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. As of December 9, 2025, 225 people living with HIV in Kazakhstan received ART at the expense of a Global Fund grant.

For help, you can contact NGOs and patient organizations. Community Friends work with HIV migrants in Almaty. They give pre-exposure therapy, put citizens from Central Asia on the remote registration, help and accompany to the AIDS center, where you can get treatment for foreign citizens, advise on adherence to ART, legal and social issues. In emergency cases, you can get a supply of ART for 1-2 months through them. For example, if a person is “stuck” in another country and cannot leave.

We managed to contact Oksana Ibragimova, a senior case manager of the Community friends. She confirmed the information about grants for ART and told about the program for citizens of neighboring countries.

“At the moment, non-citizens of Kazakhstan can apply to any AIDS center and receive therapy on a grant from the Global Fund. In addition, now we have a program for citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan: they can send their tests to their homeland, they will be registered there and send medicines to Kazakhstan. Thus, the treatment is carried out at the expense of their native country,” says Ibragimova.

For HIV-positive travelers and migrants, Oksana recommended the website vputi.org, where you can find out information about the laws of different countries regarding HIV and access to therapy.

If a person has been denied treatment, there is a risk of interruption of therapy or problems with tests, you can leave an appeal on the Pereboi platform – you will need to fill out a small form on the website to contact the consultant, there are no contact numbers. You can also contact the Kazakhstan Union of People Living with HIV for advice and routing – the contact number and mail are in the “contacts” section of the website itself.

Important clarification: HIV status does not restrict entry into the country and does not prevent obtaining a residence permit, it was excluded from the list of diseases with which it is impossible to enter the country back in 2011.

Где гражданам и иностранцам с ВИЧ получить терапию в Казахстане

В Казахстане лечение ВИЧ официально бесплатное, государство обеспечивает пациентов антиретровирусной терапией (АРТ). Но на практике доступ к лечению зависит от статуса человека: есть ли гражданство или вид на жительство. Kursiv Lifestyle разобрался, как все устроено и что делать в разных ситуациях.

Как гражданам Казахстана получить АРТ:

Сначала вы проходите тест на ВИЧ. Если результат положительный, вас направляют к инфекционисту или специалисту центра:
Далее нужно обратиться в СПИД-центр и сообщить о своем результате. Врач проводит дополнительные обследования и предлагает встать на учет;
Оформляется постановка на учет и вы официально становитесь пациентом центра;
После этого врач подбирает схему лечения. Антиретровирусные препараты выдают бесплатно через центр, и пациент начинает регулярную терапию.

Где пройти тест на ВИЧ бесплатно и анонимно? Сдать тест можно бесплатно в поликлинике по прикреплению или в СПИД-Центре. Частные медицинские центры тоже оказывают эту услугу, но платно.

Если важна полная анонимность, то лучше пойти в СПИД-Центр или частную лабораторию. При анонимном обращении документы не требуются, вам присвоят номер, известный только вам.

Еще один анонимный способ — заказать бесплатный экспресс-тест на дом через сайтhivtest.kz. Сделать это можно на сегодня в 5 городах: Алматы, Астана, Караганда, Усть-Каменогорск и Павлодар.

Тестирование входит в гарантированный объем бесплатной медицинской помощи. Это означает, что его можно пройти даже без регистрации или документов.

Где встать на учет? Чтобы получить терапию, нужно встать на учет в СПИД-центре, они есть в каждом крупном городе. Именно через эту систему назначают и выдают препараты.

Обычно это происходит в тех же учреждениях, где проводится тестирование — региональных центрах и поликлиниках.

Узнать адрес центра СПИД в вашем городе можно на сайте Казахского научного центра дерматологии и инфекционных заболеваний.

Что делать, если нет регистрации в системе? Отсутствие регистрации усложняет процесс, но не делает его невозможным. Пройти тест можно в любом случае бесплатно и анонимно. Проблемы начинаются на этапе постановки на учет, так как система обычно требует ИИН или прикрепление к поликлинике.

Возможны варианты: временное прикрепление к поликлинике или оформление через сам СПИД-центр. Если возникают отказы, рекомендуется обращаться повторно или в другой центр — решения часто принимаются индивидуально.

Что делать иностранцам

Ситуация зависит от статуса пребывания в стране. Иностранцы с видом на жительство (ВНЖ) имеют те же права, что и граждане Казахстана. Они могут пройти тестирование, встать на учет и получать терапию бесплатно.

Если ВНЖ нет? Если человек находится в стране временно (по РВП), ему полагаются бесплатные тесты и консультации, но бесплатная АРТ не гарантирована законом. Но есть международное донорское финансирование и НПО, через которые часть людей получает терапию или экстренную поддержку.

Тогда человеку нужно как можно быстрее обратиться в ближайший Центр СПИД и уточнить, можно ли попасть в донорскую программу. Главный источник такой помощи — Глобальный фонд борьбы со СПИДом, туберкулезом и малярией. На 9 декабря 2025 года 225 людей, живущих с ВИЧ в Казахстане получали АРТ за счет средств гранта Глобального фонда.

За помощью можно обращаться в НПО и пациентские организации. В Алматы с мигрантами с ВИЧ работает Community Friends. Они дают доконтактную терапию, ставят на дистанционный учет граждан из Центральной Азии, помогают и сопровождаем в центр СПИД, где можно получить лечение для иностранных граждан консультируют по приверженности к АРТ, по правовым и социальным вопросам. В экстренных случаях через них можно получить запас АРТ на 1–2 месяца. Например, если человек «застрял» в другой стране и не может выехать.

Нам удалось связаться с Оксаной Ибрагимовой — старшим кейс менеджером ОФ Community friends. Она подтвердила информацию о грантах на АРТ и рассказала о программе для граждан соседних стран.

«На данный момент неграждане Казахстана могут обратиться в любой СПИД-центр, и по гранту Глобального фонда получить терапию. Кроме того, сейчас у нас действует программа для граждан Узбекистана, Таджикистана и Кыргызстана: они могут выслать свои анализы на Родину, там их поставят на учет и отправят лекарства уже в Казахстан. Таким образом лечение осуществляется за счет их родной страны», — говорит Ибрагимова.

Для ВИЧ-положительных путешественников и мигрантов Оксана порекомендовала сайт vputi.org, где можно узнать информацию о законах разных стран касательно ВИЧ и доступа к терапии.

Если человеку отказали в лечении, есть риск перерыва терапии или проблемы с анализами, можно оставить обращение на платформе Pereboi — нужно будет заполнить небольшую форму на сайте, чтобы связаться с консультантом, контактных номеров нет. Также за консультацией и маршрутизацией можно обращаться в Казахстанский союз людей, живущих с ВИЧ — контактный номер и почта есть в разделе «контакты» на самом сайте.

Важное уточнение: ВИЧ-статус не ограничивает въезд в страну и не мешает получить вид на жительство, его исключили из перечня заболеваний, с которыми нельзя въезжать в страну, еще в 2011.

Spain: Spanish officials warn of HIV treatment barriers for undocumented migrants

There are warnings that undocumented migrants in some autonomous communities are unable to access HIV treatment

Valladolid, 11 May (EFE). – The national director of the National AIDS Plan, Julia del Amo, has pointed out that around 50% of newly diagnosed HIV cases are among people born outside Spain, mostly from Latin America, and has warned that in some regions, particularly Madrid, undocumented migrants face barriers to accessing universal diagnosis and treatment.

Del Amo took part on Monday in Valladolid in the 22nd National Congress on AIDS and STIs, ‘HIV and +: health, equity and sexuality’, organised by the Spanish Interdisciplinary Society on AIDS (SEISIDA), and at a press conference she emphasised that although the virus no longer constitutes a public health emergency in Spain, ‘it remains a public health problem’.

Although the trend in Spain “is improving”, “we must be radical when it comes to infections; if we are not radical and leave pockets where the infection continues to spread, logically, if we do nothing, in five years’ time we will be much worse off than we are now”, warned Julia del Amo.

Currently, “a person who is being treated and has an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the infection”, hence the insistence that everyone should get tested and treated, although “there is a group of men from other countries, in some autonomous communities, who are not accessing universal diagnosis and treatment due to structural barriers within the healthcare system that prevent it”, said the director of the National AIDS Plan.

Data from 2024 show that around 3,300 new cases of HIV were diagnosed in Spain, half of them late-stage – another of the problems –; with 50 per cent born outside Spain, mainly in Latin America, followed by sub-Saharan Africa; with around 60 per cent of cases involving men who have sex with men, with an average age of 35.

The rate stands at 7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, slightly above the European average, with 3.76 per 100,000 in the case of Castile and León, which recorded 90 new infections in 2024, with Burgos and Valladolid leading the way, although within the region’s low rate, Del Amo noted.

In this regard, one of the main groups at risk is currently the vulnerable population of migrants “who are being denied access due to these barriers within the healthcare system”, primarily in much of the Community of Madrid, but also elsewhere, including Castile and León, and where there is room for improvement, according to the director of the National AIDS Plan.

Julia del Amo emphasised that, nevertheless, there are extraordinary healthcare professionals and community networks of activists who ensure that treatment and diagnosis reach those who need them, albeit with a delay, and “during that delay there are transmissions that we could prevent”.

The president of SEISIDA and co-chair of the Congress, Pablo Ryan, a specialist in internal medicine at the Infanta Leonor University Hospital in Madrid, agreed with these issues regarding access for some migrants, who also lack information, and highlighted the role played by NGOs in facilitating access to treatment for this group, “filling those gaps in the system”.

HIV knows no borders, it knows no administrative barriers; it is a public health issue, both argued, and they recalled that the WHO’s target for 2030 is for 95% of people living with HIV to be diagnosed, for 95% of people living with HIV to be on treatment, and for 95% of those on treatment to be undetectable.

Based on data from 2021/2022, in Spain these targets stood at 92.5%, 97% and 90.5%, Del Amo noted.

In Spain, it is estimated that between 135,000 and 163,000 people are living with HIV; this is not just about a virus or a treatment, but about the conditions in which people live, about equity in treatment and access to testing, and about compassion and empathy, reflected Dr Pablo Ryan.

The rise in sexually transmitted infections was also addressed, which Nuria Espinosa, co-chair of the Congress and a specialist at the Infectious Diseases Unit at Virgen de Rocío in Seville, attributed, in part, to social changes in how people interact, with greater ease in having multiple partners and engaging in riskier sexual behaviour, and highlighted information and condom use as key factors.

Data on these infections show rates of 77 cases per 100,000 in 2024 for gonorrhoea, 24 per 100,000 for syphilis and 86 per 100,000 for chlamydia.

Alertan de que en algunas CCAA los migrantes sin papeles no acceden a tratamientos VIH

Valladolid, 11 may (EFE).- La directora nacional del Plan Nacional sobre el Sida, Julia del Amo, ha recordado que en torno al 50% de los nuevos casos diagnosticados de VIH son de personas nacidas fuera de España, mayoritariamente de América Latina, y ha alertado de que en algunas comunidades, en especial Madrid, los migrantes sin papeles se topan con barreras para acceder al diagnóstico y tratamiento universal.

Del Amo ha participado este lunes en Valladolid en el XXII Congreso Nacional sobre el Sida e ITS «VIH y +: salud, equidad y sexualidad», organizado por la Sociedad Española Interdisciplinaria del Sida (SEISIDA), y en rueda de prensa ha incidido en que aunque ese virus ya no supone problema de emergencia de salud pública en España, “sigue siendo un problema de salud pública”.

Aunque la tendencia en España “es a mejor”, en “las infecciones hay que ser radical y si no eres radical y dejas nichos donde esa infección se sigue transmitiendo, lógicamente si no hacemos nada en cinco años vamos a estar mucho peor de lo que estamos ahora”, ha alertado Julia del Amo.

Actualmente “una persona tratada, con carga viral indetectable, no puede transmitir la infección”, de ahí la insistencia en que todo el mundo se haga la prueba y se trate, aunque “hay un grupo de hombres de otros países, en algunas comunidades autónomas, que no están accediendo al diagnóstico y tratamiento universal por las barreras estructurales del sistema sanitario que lo impiden”, ha trasladado la directora del Plan Nacional sobre el Sida.

Los datos del 2024 recogen que en España se diagnosticaron unos 3.300 casos nuevos de VIH, la mitad tardíos -otro de los problemas-; con un 50 por ciento nacidos fuera de España, América Latina, fundamentalmente, seguida de África Subsahariana; con en torno al 60% de casos de hombres que tienen sexo con otros hombres, con 35 años de edad media.

La tasa es de 7 casos por 100.000 habitantes, un poco por encima de la media europea, con 3,76 por 100.000 en el caso de Castilla y León, que anotó 90 nuevas infecciones en 2024, con Burgos y Valladolid a la cabeza, aunque dentro de la baja tasa de la comunidad, ha referido Del Amo.

En ese sentido, uno de los principales nichos es actualmente esa población vulnerable de personas migrantes “a las que se les está negando el acceso por esas barreras del sistema sanitario”, fudamentalmente en buena parte de la comunidad de Madrid, pero también en el resto, incluida Castilla y León, y donde hay elementos mejorables, ha analizado la directora del Plan Nacional sobre el Sida.

Julia del Amo ha destacado que no obstante hay profesionales sanitarios extraordinarios y hay redes comunitarias de activistas que se aseguran que el tratamiento y el diagnóstico pueda llegar a las personas que los necesitan, pero con retraso, y “durante ese retraso hay transmisiones que podemos evitar”.

El presidente de SEISIDA y copresidente del Congreso, especialista en medicina interna del Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor de Madrid, Pablo Ryan, ha coincidido en esos problemas de acceso de algunos migrantes, que además carecen de información, y ha destacado el papel que tienen las ONG a la hora de facilitar el acceso a los tratamientos a ese colectivo, “tapando esos huecos del sistema”.

El VIH no entiende de fronteras, no entiende de barreras administrativas, son salud pública, han defendido ambos, y han recordado que el objetivo de la OMS para el 2030 es que el 95% de las personas que tienen VIH estén diagnosticadas, que el 95% de las personas con VIH estén en tratamiento y que el 95% de las personas que están en tratamiento, estén indetectables.

Con datos del 2021/2022, en España esos objetivos estaban en el 92,5, 97 y 90,5 por ciento, ha analizado Del Amo.

En España, se estima que entre 135.000 y 163.000 personas viven con VIH, que no es solo un virus o un tratamiento, sino de las condiciones en las que viven las personas, de equidad en los tratamientos y acceso a las pruebas, de cercanía y empatía, ha reflexionado el doctor Pablo Ryan.

También se ha abordado el aumento de las infecciones de transmisión sexual, que la copresidenta del Congreso y especialista de la Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas de Virgen de Rocío de Sevilla, Nuria Espinosa, ha atribuido, en parte, al cambio social a la hora de relacionarse, con facilidades para tener más parejas y más relaciones de riesgo, y la información y el uso del preservativo como elementos clave.

Los datos de esas infecciones dejan tasas de 77 casos por 100.000 en 2024 en gonorrea, con 24 por 100.000 en sífilis y 86 por 100.000 en clamidea.

Russia: Migrants deported from Khanty-Mansi region over HIV and syphilis diagnoses

Translated with Deepl.com – Scroll down for original article in Russian

Syphilis and HIV among migrants have led to their deportation from the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region

The Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor) has issued 69 decisions declaring the presence of foreign nationals in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region undesirable. A third of the deportations are linked to HIV, whilst the remainder relate to sexually transmitted diseases and other serious infections. The data is presented in a report by Maya Solovyova, head of the regional office of the Service, at a meeting of the district council.

“69 decisions have been made regarding the undesirability of stay, which is 3.4 times more than in 2024,” the presentation accompanying the report states. The slide also contains information that 65 migrants were found to have dangerous diseases.

33.8% were diagnosed with HIV, and 66% with syphilis. No cases of tuberculosis were recorded.

Migrants will now be vaccinated more actively against measles and meningococcal disease, and will also be screened for parasitic infections. From March 2026, the mandatory medical examination will include testing for hepatitis B and C, in addition to the existing checks for syphilis, HIV, tuberculosis, leprosy and drugs.

Сифилис и ВИЧ у мигрантов стали причинами их депортации из ХМАО

Роспотребнадзор принял 69 решений о нежелательности пребывания иностранцев в ХМАО. Треть депортаций связана с ВИЧ, остальные — с заболеваниями, передающимися половым путем, и другими неприятными инфекциями. Данные приведены в докладе главы регионального управления Службы Майи Соловьевой на заседании окружной думы.

«Принято 69 решений о нежелательности пребывания, что больше 2024 года в 3,4 раза», — указано в презентации к докладу. Также на слайде содержится информация о том, что у 65 мигрантов были выявлены опасные заболевания.

У 33,8% диагностирован ВИЧ, у 66% — сифилис. Случаев туберкулеза не зарегистрировано.

Сейчас мигрантов будут активнее прививать от кори и менингококка, а также проверять на паразитарные инфекции. С марта 2026 года обязательный медосмотр включает тестирование на гепатиты В и С, помимо уже существующих проверок на сифилис, ВИЧ, туберкулез, лепру и наркотики.

Latin America: Access to HIV Care for migrants hindered by exclusionary policies

Migration and HIV: challenges to overcome barriers

Economic and political setbacks hinder access to public health services for the HIV-positive migrant population. .

“In many countries, access to HIV prevention and treatment services for trans women is impossible due to their immigration status, and this widens the health gap ” Latin American and Caribbean Network of Trans Women , speaking on the UNAIDS podcast Latin American Dialogues: Intersectionality in the HIV Response.”The network is an organization dedicated to defending the human rights of trans women, sex workers, and trans people in situations of human mobility and migration in Latin America and the Caribbean.

What Vidal says is a summary of the times. According to the UNAIDS program, it is estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 people in transit in the region are living with HIV. The unprecedented social and economic crisis on the continent has generated the largest flow of refugees and migrants in history. In addition to their immigration status, they face high levels of stigma, xenophobia, and racism, and limited access to healthcare.

“We’ve had to receive colleagues who come with a diagnosis, a month of antiretroviral treatment, and when it ends, we practically have to force the health authorities to support us,” Vidal continues. “And what often happens is that because they don’t have identification, they can’t access treatment so easily. Sometimes adherence is lost because we’re talking about a month, a month and a half of waiting for treatment.”.

What’s missing

Bureaucracy, especially the requirement of identity documents in the health systems of host countries, acts as a tool of exclusion that prevents access to antiretroviral therapies and viral suppression controls.

The activists consulted for this article agree: the impact of HIV on people on the move is often exacerbated by institutional mistreatment, abandonment by families, and lack of support during transit, weakening their health . But they warn, “the response to HIV is weak for the entire population. It is not exclusive to the migrant population .

Deaths from advanced infection continue to be recorded in the region, where health systems are already strained. Barriers to accessing comprehensive and sustainable care exist. There is a lack of prevention models and medication shortages. All of this contributes to the virus not being detected in time.

Setbacks in the region

Countries like Costa Rica and Argentina, which historically led the LGBT+ rights agenda, are showing signs of regression in public policy. In Costa Rica, the withdrawal of the OAS LGBT working group and the halting of sexuality protocols in schools demonstrate this setback. Despite the existence of protective laws, their lack of regulation and a climate of discrimination persist. For example, a gender identity law is still lacking, and the restrictions faced by people with HIV, despite existing laws, do not fully protect them .

In Argentina, the National Front Against HIV, Hepatitis, and Tuberculosis reported a 76% reduction in funding allocated to HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and STIs. The national government transferred the responsibility for purchasing antiretroviral drugs to the provinces without providing the necessary resources or logistical support, leading to medication shortages.

“The Milei government has cut the health budget specifically for everything related to HIV prevention and treatment. There are zero prevention campaigns and zero treatment campaigns. And shortages have begun. Before, the national government provided the medication to the different districts; now, the provision has become the responsibility of each district. Sometimes, districts find that these medications weren’t included in their budget allocations or that they lack the logistical capacity to purchase them; so they run out,” explains Mariano Ruiz, executive director of Human Rights and Diversity .

She adds: “The refugees we receive are mostly Russians or people from countries that were part of the Soviet bloc. The main reason they come to us is because they ran out of HIV medication . We help them by providing guidance before they arrive in the country because they are planning their departure from Russia, where life there is unsustainable. We ask them to find out their HIV status and to start treatment if they are positive. For these refugees, the biggest challenge in accessing healthcare is the language barrier,” she explains.

Barriers to access to health

The dismantling of public systems affects the migrant population. 27% of those seeking treatment arrive in an advanced stage of HIV . Furthermore, those in an irregular situation are 70% less likely to achieve viral suppression, according to UNAIDS data

In Mexico, the transition to the IMSS-Bienestar model (a program to provide free medical care to people without social security) has created administrative barriers that violate the right to life of both migrants and internally displaced persons. The requirement of the CURP (a national identification document) is the main obstacle to accessing medications at CAPASITS (Outpatient Centers for the Prevention and Care of AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, which are free, specialized health units in Mexico).

Brigitte Baltazar Lujano, coordinator of the LGBTQ+ community program at the organization Al Otro Lado in Tijuana, points out the seriousness of these omissions.

“It’s not only the external migrant population that is suffering these devastating effects. The involuntary migrant community, internally displaced persons, are also affected. Recently, there have been many changes in how the government handles health issues. It is more difficult for internally displaced persons to access their HIV medication. For people from other countries, it is twice as difficult to access these medications. This represents a very serious lack of attention from our country in this sector. The right to access medication or any other type of medical care that any human being may have is being violated.”

PrEP is not guaranteed for migrant populations

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a vital prevention tool for migrant populations. However, access to PrEP and emergency post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is limited by bureaucratic barriers and discrimination.

In Tijuana, access for migrants is practically nonexistent because the medication is strictly controlled by the Ambulatory Centers for the Prevention and Care of AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (CAPASITS), and identification is required to obtain it, explains Brigitte Baltazar. This same requirement for identification exists in Costa Rica.

“If a migrant arrives after being sexually abused, the health system’s response is usually, ‘Wait three months, get tested, and if you test positive, then we’ll start antiretroviral medication.’ This adds to all the bureaucracy involved in starting treatment. In other words, there is no emergency PEP available for undocumented people, and that leaves them at absolute risk ,” Brigitte explains.

In Argentina, the situation is similar for both asylum seekers and Argentinians seeking emergency medication. “The main obstacle for asylum seekers is the language barrier. Then there are all the same challenges faced by Argentinians: the lack of medication, and sometimes refusal from healthcare staff who are trying to conserve resources. It’s left to the doctor’s discretion whether they consider the person seeking it to have risky behaviors, even though, according to legislation, PrEP is a prevention strategy available only at the person’s request,” explains Mariano Ruiz.

Lack of funding and anti-immigrant policies

The region is also facing cuts in international cooperation. The withdrawal of funding from USAID , the Global Fund, and the closure of UNAIDS offices have left civil society organizations working on HIV, migration, LGBT+ rights, and other issues in a precarious situation.

“I find it so irresponsible and also very perverse that these cuts are eliminating programs when we know they did produce results and did save lives. This continues to be alarming and worrying,” says Dennis Castillo, executive director of the Institute on LGBT Migration and Refugees for Central America (IRCA Casabierta), an organization based in San José, Costa Rica.

Adding to the financial hardship are anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies. Mario Campos explains that migrants living with HIV in the United States fear deportation when seeking healthcare, and that is reason enough not to seek medical attention.

In everyday life, the stigma also manifests itself in the mistreatment by administrative and security staff in hospitals, even before they receive care. “From the moment migrants arrive at the hospital, it’s the security guard who asks which department they’re going to or their medical condition. People already feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. Once, someone told me that the guard said, ‘That’s why you have to be careful, that’s why you shouldn’t be having reckless sex.’ The stigma and discrimination that migrants suffer is serious, but if you add living with HIV, it’s extremely serious ,” says Brigitte Baltazar from Tijuana.

The community response in Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina and the United States

Faced with the abandonment by States, grassroots organizations and independent activists have assumed the responsibility of guaranteeing services that governments omit, such as prevention campaigns, screening tests and the supply of medication.

In Mexico, the organization Al Otro Lado combats the exclusion caused by the CURP requirement by providing legal support and a physical presence in hospitals to ensure that migrants and internally displaced persons living with HIV can access services and are not discriminated against. They also manage online registrations, provide transportation, and have established partnerships with the AHF Healthcare Foundationto obtain emergency doses of medication when the government denies them.

“The Mexican State must provide what is rightfully theirs, which is access to healthcare for all people. It is a historical debt that the government owes to the migrant population to receive them and provide them with the services they are legally entitled to,” Brigitte Baltazar reiterates.

In Costa Rica, IRCA Casabierta offers a comprehensive approach that includes legal and psychological assistance, a food bank, and a computer lab for the digital regularization of migrants. Faced with cuts in international funding, the organization manages state resources to purchase preventative supplies that the health system does not provide to uninsured individuals. Dennis Castillo, executive director of IRCA Casabierta, denounces the Costa Rican government for abandoning prevention efforts, delegating this task to civil society.

In Argentina, the organization Human Rights and Diversity runs an integration center for LGBTQ+ refugees, most of whom come from Russia, Belarus, and Georgia. Due to a lack of government support to overcome administrative and language barriers, they use “social interpreters”—former beneficiaries who speak the language—to accompany patients to their medical appointments.

Activist Mario Campos connects people on the move with free clinics in Mexico, the United States, Canada, and Spain. His work focuses on combating the knowledge gap caused by the lack of comprehensive sex education, especially among migrants from Central American countries, primarily Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Mario believes that misinformation and the lack of comprehensive sex education are critical barriers that increase the vulnerability of people living with HIV.

Philippines challenges Oman’s HIV test requirement for Filipino travellers

DFA, Omani Embassy to meet on mandatory HIV test for Filipino travelers

MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Omani Embassy in Manila are meeting next week on a requirement for all Filipino travelers to the sultanate to present negative HIV tests.

The DFA on Friday said it has “made strong representations” to the embassy for the removal of the policy, which is being implemented without official notice to the Philippines.

It also said that the Sultanate of Oman is “seriously” reviewing the requirement.

The DFA said the embassy had clarified that the HIV certificate “applies only to tourists availing of the visa-free entry to Oman, and not to those who were issued work visas.”

Filipino tourists bound for Oman who had applied for and were granted visas have also been required at airline check-in to submit HIV certificates before being allowed to board their flights.

The Philippine Embassy in Muscat, Oman’s capital, said earlier in the week that it had received reports of the new requirement and of Filipino passengers not being allowed to board their flights.

The embassy also said Omani authorities had not sent official notice of the new policy.

“The DFA expects a positive outcome given the good and strong relationship between the Philippines and Oman,” the department said Friday.

Senegal: Senegal’s crackdown on the LGBT+ community puts French asylum policy under pressure

Senegal: Anti-homosexuality law disrupts asylum procedures in France and influences in the Sahel region

Translated with Deepl. Scroll down for the original article in French.

Five to ten years in prison for consensual relations between adults. A few days after the law was enacted, a Senegalese asylum seeker was turned back at the French border. At least 52 arrests since February have already been reported. Fear is taking hold, departures are accelerating, and Paris finds itself facing an explosive political test.Senegal: First Conviction Under the Tougher Anti-Homosexuality Law, Growing Concerns »>Senegal: a legal crackdown with immediate effects

Adopted on 11 March 2026 by 135 out of 165 MPs, enacted on 30 March and published in the Official Gazette on 31 March 2026, the new Senegalese law doubles the penalties for same-sex relations (from five to ten years’ imprisonment) and increases fines (from two to ten million CFA francs). For the first time, it also criminalises the “promotion, support or financing” of homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality, making these offences punishable by three to seven years’ imprisonment and fines ranging from 500,000 to five million CFA francs.

In the official version, the text responds to a call for firmness and social cohesion. But on the ground, according to civil society sources, the trend is clear: a rise in homophobia and a wave of arrests. Since early February 2026, at least 52 people have been arrested on charges of ‘unnatural acts’ or ‘wilful transmission of HIV’. The UN, through Volker Türk, has expressed its “deep concern”, whilst Human Rights Watch has condemned this as a violation of fundamental rights. Health organisations such as AIDES are warning of a major health risk, fearing a setback for HIV prevention and testing.

France and asylum: between promised protection and procedural filters

France has long recognised persecution based on sexual orientation as grounds for asylum. As early as 2021, the Council of State had removed Senegal from the list of “safe countries”, opening the way for Senegalese nationals to undergo the standard, non-accelerated procedure. Individual stories illustrate the urgency. Assane, in his thirties, left Senegal around September 2025 following threats from his family and social rejection. He applied for asylum in France, a symbol of the quest for safety shared by many exiles, according to organisations such as STOP Homophobie, which report a rise in applications.

But protection is not automatic. In September 2025, the Toulouse Administrative Court of Appeal upheld a rejection, deeming the evidence insufficient. On 31 March 2026, at the border, the asylum application of another Senegalese man, Moussa, was refused by the Ministry of the Interior. He was returned to Istanbul on 7 April. ANAFE is critical: fears deemed “insufficiently substantiated”, questions “inappropriate and intrusive”. At the heart of the French system, a difficulty persists: how to assess personal accounts, often lacking material evidence, when the fear of being “outed” in the country of origin is precisely the main risk?

What is really at stake: rights, sovereignty and influence in the Sahel

Beyond the purely legal issue, this law has become a political marker. According to observers, it forms part of a broader movement in which cultural sovereignty and control over the social agenda are being asserted in the face of external pressures. The UN, international NGOs and health actors are challenging this on the grounds of human rights and public health. Paris faces a delicate dilemma: upholding its asylum doctrine or tightening its borders in line with national political priorities.

The regional dimension is unavoidable. In the Sahel, the competition for influence is intensifying. Debates on sovereignty – amplified by the emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – are reshaping relations with Western partners. According to recent analyses, the United States is adopting a more pragmatic approach towards the AES to revive security and economic exchanges. In this context, every domestic decision – whether concerning security or society – becomes a signal sent to both allies and critics. Where does the balance lie between national assertiveness and respect for international human rights commitments?

Direct human impact: hidden lives, heightened risks

In practical terms, fear is shifting sides: on one side, Senegalese LGBTQ+ people who are altering their daily lives – hasty moves, increased silence, severed family ties – to survive; on the other, healthcare workers and community activists who fear their actions will be equated with ‘promotion’. Under these circumstances, some people avoid healthcare facilities, delay HIV testing and expose themselves to complications. In France, the legal uncertainty faced by asylum seekers – delays, evidence requirements, interviews – prolongs their anxiety and material insecurity. How far will France go to reconcile humanity with migration control?

Clear answers to five key questions

Why is this important? Because a national law has immediate cross-border effects: exile, pressure on asylum systems, diplomatic tensions, and health risks highlighted by AIDES.

Who benefits? Political actors who champion a stance of cultural sovereignty, according to observers, and those who advocate strict migration control on this side of the Mediterranean.

Who suffers? Firstly, LGBTQ+ people targeted by penalties and social stigma; secondly, health organisations, which may be hindered; and finally, asylum services that are already overwhelmed.

Hidden consequences? A retreat in healthcare provision, more selective visa diplomacy and increased polarisation of opinion between universal rights and cultural norms.

Why now? The regional political landscape places sovereignty at the centre. The law, passed and enacted between February and March 2026, comes at a time when the balance of power in the Sahel is shifting and partners are readjusting their positions

Strategic dimension: Paris, Dakar and the power play

For Paris, every deportation or asylum grant becomes a message sent to French and West African public opinion. According to diplomatic sources, France must walk a tightrope: avoiding appearing to dictate standards whilst upholding its international commitments. For Dakar, the law embodies a choice in favour of public order and cohesion, accepted as such by its supporters, and which forms part of a discourse on sovereignty currently sweeping across the Sahel region.

At the regional level, the shift in the US stance towards the AES – described by analysts as a blend of security and economic pragmatism – confirms that the Sahel is a theatre of adjustments, not certainties. The Senegalese episode is not an isolated case: it reveals how domestic policies now influence human flows, aid, cooperation and perceptions of influence. For Mali and its neighbours, the challenge is twofold: to preserve sovereignty without triggering spirals of isolation, and to keep open channels of cooperation that are vital for security and public health.

What may follow: three scenarios

Scenario 1 – Procedural: France refines its criteria for asylum evidence, without denying protection, to manage a potential influx. Effect: a stricter but clear legal framework.

Scenario 2 – Diplomatic: a discreet dialogue takes place between Paris and Dakar, with mediation by multilateral actors, to prevent adverse health effects whilst respecting sovereign choices.

Scenario 3 – Societal: civil society adapts its community health practices to remain within the legal framework, at the risk of a decline in attendance at HIV services.

Conclusion: a fault line that transcends borders

This law is not merely found in a criminal code; it is found in lives lived in shades of grey, in airport waiting rooms, in border control offices. Between claimed sovereignty, asserted rights and human realities, the Sahel stands as a field of precarious balances. The question is no longer who is right in theory, but who will, in practice, bear the human cost of their choices.

But ultimately, one question remains: who really benefits from this situation?

Cinq à dix ans de prison pour des relations consenties entre adultes. Quelques jours après la promulgation de la loi, un demandeur sénégalais est refoulé à la frontière française. Au moins 52 arrestations depuis février sont déjà rapportées. La peur s’installe, les départs s’accélèrent, et Paris se retrouve face à un test politique explosif.

Adoptée le 11 mars 2026 par 135 députés sur 165, promulguée le 30 mars et publiée au Journal Officiel le 31 mars 2026, la nouvelle loi sénégalaise double les peines pour les relations entre personnes de même sexe (de cinq à dix ans de prison) et alourdit les amendes (de deux à dix millions de FCFA). Pour la première fois, elle criminalise aussi la « promotion, le soutien ou le financement » de l’homosexualité, de la bisexualité et de la transsexualité, assortissant ces faits de trois à sept ans d’emprisonnement et d’amendes allant de 500 000 à cinq millions de FCFA.

Dans la version officielle, le texte répond à une demande de fermeté et de cohésion sociale. Mais sur le terrain, selon des sources de la société civile, la dynamique est claire : montée de l’homophobie et vague d’arrestations. Depuis début février 2026, au moins 52 personnes ont été interpellées pour des accusations d’« actes contre nature » ou de « transmission volontaire du VIH ». L’ONU, par la voix de Volker Türk, dit sa « profonde préoccupation » et Human Rights Watch dénonce une atteinte aux droits fondamentaux. Des acteurs de santé comme AIDES alertent sur un risque sanitaire majeur, redoutant un frein à la prévention et au dépistage du VIH.

France et asile : entre protection annoncée et filtres procéduraux

La France reconnaît de longue date les persécutions liées à l’orientation sexuelle comme motif d’asile. Dès 2021, le Conseil d’État avait retiré le Sénégal de la liste des « pays sûrs », ouvrant aux ressortissants sénégalais une procédure normale et non accélérée. Des parcours individuels racontent l’urgence. Assane, trentenaire, a quitté le Sénégal autour de septembre 2025 après menaces familiales et rejet social. Il a déposé une demande d’asile en France, symbole d’une quête de sécurité partagée par de nombreux exilés, selon des associations comme STOP Homophobie qui évoquent une hausse des sollicitations.

Mais la protection n’est pas automatique. En septembre 2025, la Cour administrative d’appel de Toulouse a confirmé un rejet, estimant les pièces insuffisantes. Le 31 mars 2026, à la frontière, la demande d’asile d’un autre Sénégalais, Moussa, est refusée par le ministère de l’Intérieur. Il est réacheminé vers Istanbul le 7 avril. L’Anafé critique : craintes jugées « insuffisamment fondées », questions « malvenues et intrusives ». Au cœur du dispositif français, une difficulté persiste : comment apprécier des récits intimes, souvent sans preuve matérielle, quand la peur d’être « outé » au pays d’origine est précisément le risque principal ?

Ce qui se joue vraiment : droits, souveraineté et influence au Sahel

Au-delà de la seule question juridique, cette loi devient un marqueur politique. Selon des observateurs, elle s’inscrit dans un mouvement plus large où la souveraineté culturelle et la maîtrise de l’agenda social sont revendiquées face aux pressions extérieures. L’ONU, des ONG internationales et des acteurs de santé contestent sur le terrain des droits humains et de la santé publique. Paris est placé devant une équation délicate : assumer sa doctrine d’asile ou durcir ses frontières au gré des priorités politiques nationales.

La dimension régionale est incontournable. Dans le Sahel, la compétition d’influence s’intensifie. Les débats sur la souveraineté – amplifiés par l’affirmation de l’Alliance des États du Sahel (AES) – redessinent les relations avec les partenaires occidentaux. Les États-Unis, selon des analyses récentes, adoptent une approche plus pragmatique vis-à-vis de l’AES pour relancer les échanges sécuritaires et économiques. Dans ce contexte, chaque décision interne – qu’elle porte sur la sécurité ou la société – devient un signal adressé aux alliés comme aux critiques. Où se situe l’équilibre entre affirmation nationale et respect des engagements internationaux en matière de droits ?

Impact humain direct : vies discrètes, risques accrus

Concrètement, la peur change de camp : d’un côté, des personnes LGBTQ+ sénégalaises qui modifient leur quotidien – déménagements précipités, silence renforcé, coupures familiales – pour survivre ; de l’autre, des soignants et acteurs communautaires qui craignent de voir leurs actions assimilées à de la « promotion ». Dans ces conditions, certaines personnes évitent les structures de santé, retardent les tests VIH et s’exposent à des complications. En France, l’insécurité juridique des demandeurs – délais, preuves, entretiens – prolonge l’angoisse et la précarité matérielle. Jusqu’où la France ira-t-elle pour concilier humanité et contrôle migratoire ?

Réponses claires aux cinq questions clés

Pourquoi c’est important ? Parce qu’une loi nationale produit des effets transfrontaliers immédiats: exils, pressions sur les systèmes d’asile, tensions diplomatiques, et risques sanitaires pointés par AIDES.

À qui cela profite ? À des acteurs politiques qui valorisent une posture de souveraineté culturelle, selon des observateurs, et à ceux qui prônent un contrôle migratoire strict de ce côté-ci de la Méditerranée.

Qui en souffre ? D’abord les personnes LGBTQ+ visées par les peines et par la crainte sociale ; ensuite les associations de santé, potentiellement freinées ; enfin des services d’asile déjà saturés.

Conséquences cachées ? Le repli sanitaire, une diplomatie des visas plus sélective et une polarisation accrue des opinions entre droits universels et normes culturelles.

Pourquoi maintenant ? La séquence politique régionale place la souveraineté au centre. La loi, votée et promulguée entre février et mars 2026, intervient alors que les rapports de force au Sahel se recomposent et que les partenaires réajustent leurs postures

Dimension stratégique : Paris, Dakar et le jeu des puissances

Pour Paris, chaque refoulement ou chaque admission d’asile devient un message envoyé aux opinions publiques française et ouest-africaine. Selon des sources diplomatiques, la France doit gérer une ligne de crête : éviter d’apparaître comme prescriptrice de normes tout en maintenant ses engagements internationaux. Pour Dakar, la loi incarne un choix d’ordre public et de cohésion, assumé comme tel par ses soutiens, et qui s’inscrit dans un discours de souveraineté qui traverse aujourd’hui l’espace sahélien.

Au plan régional, l’évolution du positionnement américain envers l’AES – décrite par des analystes comme un pragmatisme de sécurité et d’économie – confirme que le Sahel est un théâtre d’ajustements, pas de certitudes. L’épisode sénégalais n’est pas isolé : il révèle comment des politiques internes pèsent désormais sur les flux humains, l’aide, la coopération et la perception d’influence. Pour Le Mali et ses voisins, l’enjeu est double : préserver la souveraineté sans enclencher de spirales d’isolement, et garder ouvertes les voies de coopération utiles à la sécurité et à la santé publique.

Ce qui peut suivre : trois scénarios

Scénario 1 – Procédural: la France affine ses critères de preuve en asile, sans renier la protection, pour gérer un éventuel afflux. Effet: une jurisprudence plus serrée, mais lisible.

Scénario 2 – Diplomatique: un dialogue discret s’installe entre Paris et Dakar, avec médiation d’acteurs multilatéraux, afin de prévenir les effets sanitaires indésirables tout en respectant les choix souverains.

Scénario 3 – Sociétal: la société civile adapte ses pratiques de santé communautaire pour rester dans le cadre légal, au risque d’une baisse de fréquentation des services VIH.

Conclusion : une ligne de faille qui dépasse les frontières

Cette loi ne se lit pas seulement dans un code pénal ; elle se lit dans des vies en clair-obscur, dans des salles d’attente d’aéroport, dans des bureaux d’instruction à la frontière. Entre souveraineté revendiquée, droits affirmés et réalités humaines, le Sahel s’impose comme un champ d’équilibres précaires. La question n’est plus de savoir qui a raison en théorie, mais qui assumera, en pratique, le poids humain de ses choix.

Mais au fond, une question demeure : à qui profite réellement cette situation ?

Oman: Reported new HIV test requirement for Filipinos traveling to Oman

No HIV test, no check-in: Filipino tourists turned away from Oman-bound flights

Filipino nationals traveling to the Sultanate of Oman are now reportedly required to present a certificate of HIV test before departure — a development that has caught many travelers off guard and has yet to be officially confirmed by Philippine authorities.

Multiple accounts from Filipino travelers have emerged in recent weeks, with at least one individual claiming to have been denied boarding on a flight from Thailand to Oman on March 20 after failing to produce an HIV test certificate. The traveler, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was traveling on a 14-day tourist visa and had not been informed of the requirement beforehand.

“I was denied boarding for not having an HIV test,” the traveler recounted. “I told them I was not informed that it was required since I’m only a 14-day free visa traveler, not for work, but they refused to board me.”

The traveler also noted an inconsistency at the gate: a fellow Filipino passenger was initially refused boarding but was later allowed through. He said airline ground staff, when asked where the directive came from, told him it originated from the airline’s head office.

Social media accounts pile up

The traveler’s account was shared on a Facebook page based in Oman, catering to the Filipino community, and the post quickly drew responses from followers who reported the same experience. One commenter, who said she had personally verified the requirement with an immigration officer at Oman’s airport, confirmed that the HIV certificate is checked upon arrival alongside the passport and visa — and is being required specifically of Filipino tourists and visitors, not of those who already hold Omani residency or labor cards.

“Except sa Oman resident or may Labor card yung mga galing bakasyon pabalik dito sa Oman. Di kayo hahanapan,” the commenter wrote, explaining that returning residents are exempt. She added that her sister had been held at an Oman Air check-in counter in the Philippines over the same requirement, with the family told the rule had only been implemented the previous month.

Another follower corroborated the account, saying a fellow Filipino she spoke with — who had traveled to Oman on a 14-day visa-free entry from the Philippines — confirmed the HIV test was now required. A third commenter was more specific on the scope: “New rules, no HIV test for all those applying for tourist visas, family visit visas. Those are not airline rules, they are as per government rules.”

The emerging picture from these accounts is that the requirement is being enforced at the airline check-in level — specifically by carriers operating flights to Oman — and applies to Filipino nationals traveling on tourist or visit visas. Filipino residents of Oman returning from vacation appear to be exempt.

What the documents show

A circular bearing the logo of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of the Sultanate of Oman describes the requirement as an “Explanatory Annex to Circular Regarding Entry Facilities for Nationals of the Philippines.” It specifies that the pre-arrival medical examination focuses on HIV/AIDS testing, that the certificate is accepted from any officially accredited clinic or medical center in the country where the examination is conducted, and that the requirement applies to all Philippine nationals regardless of departure point — including those residing in GCC countries. Children are exempt.

A screenshot of what appears to be Oman Air’s internal airline operations system — displaying a travel information warning screen — also shows the same requirement posted as an active directive to check-in staff: “NATIONALS OF PHILIPPINES MUST OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF HIV TEST BEFORE DEPARTURE. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO CHILDREN.”

OWWA Oman confirms, but details remain thin

When a concerned Filipino reached out to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Oman via messaging to ask whether the HIV certificate was also required for tourists, an OWWA representative replied in the affirmative. “Yes that’s a new requirement for airlines,” the OWWA representative said. When pressed on the age threshold, the representative confirmed the requirement applies to those 18 years old and above, adding that local clinics were already aware of the process.

OWWA’s response, however, described the requirement as one being enforced by the airlines — consistent with what community members on the ground have observed — rather than framing it as a standalone Omani government directive formally communicated to Manila.

Philippine Embassy silent; travel agency unaware

As of this writing, the Philippine Embassy in Oman has not issued any advisory regarding the HIV testing requirement. The Global Filipino Magazine has reached out to the Embassy for an official statement and is awaiting a response.

TGFM also reached out to a Dubai-based travel agency, whose representative said they had not received any directive from the Omani government on the matter. The agency also noted that a UAE tourist visa holder who had recently transited through Oman to change visa status did not encounter the requirement — raising questions about whether enforcement is consistent across all entry points and traveler categories.

An awkward timing

The development comes at an ironic moment. Oman announced late last year that it would grant Filipino nationals visa-free entry for up to 14 days starting 2026 — a move hailed as a boost to bilateral ties and tourism. By early January 2026, the Omani Foreign Ministry’s entry visas page had been updated to include the Philippines among visa-exempt nationalities. The HIV testing requirement, if enforced as described, effectively layers a new medical prerequisite on top of what was intended to be a more open-door policy for Filipino visitors.

The timing also intersects with the Philippines’ worsening HIV epidemic. According to the World Health Organization, about 252,800 Filipinos are living with HIV in 2025, with an estimated 57 new diagnoses recorded daily — a staggering 550% increase in cases since 2010.

What travelers should know for now

Until an official advisory is issued by the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers, the Department of Foreign Affairs, or the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, the situation remains unconfirmed at the government-to-government level. Based on available accounts, Filipino nationals traveling to Oman on tourist or visit visas — regardless of departure point — are advised to secure an HIV test certificate from an accredited clinic or medical center before flying, as airlines appear to be enforcing the requirement at check-in.

Returning Filipino residents of Oman holding valid residency or labor cards appear to be exempt from the requirement.

The Global Filipino Magazine continues to seek comment from the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, the Department of Migrant Workers, and Oman Air. This is a developing story.

US: Idaho push to identify immigration status of HIV patients sparks alarm

Idaho lawmakers seek immigration status of HIV patients using state resources

The Department of Health and Welfare would be required to report the immigration status of people using state HIV prevention services under a proposed public health budget.

The move comes after Idaho lawmakers in 2025 passed a measure to prevent some immigrants from accessing services such as soup kitchens, prenatal care and crisis counseling.

Just days before that law was set to take effect, the American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho announced a lawsuit against part of the law that would prevent some immigrants from accessing HIV medication.

The plaintiffs argued that the immigrants couldn’t receive the medication otherwise, and the people needing those meds could face severe health issues or even death, while Idaho risked an HIV spread. A judge agreed and blocked that portion of the law from going into effect while litigation is ongoing.

On Tuesday, during a meeting of the state’s powerful budget committee, lawmakers voted 14-4 to include the immigration report language in a Health and Welfare budget.

The budget committee’s co-chair, Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, told the Idaho Statesman that someone in DHW told him that there was an increase in HIV among undocumented immigrants. He said he would not share the source.

The report was important to help the state figure out how to get ahead of any increases, he said.

“It’s important to understand,” Tanner said.

AJ McWhorter, a spokesperson with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, said there hasn’t been a trend in HIV cases for the past five years, but there have been regional increases “here and there.”

HIV cases have increased in the eastern and southeastern parts of the state in 2026, according to East Idaho News, with seven cases diagnosed in the first three months of the year — matching the typical yearly average.

The number of cases in that part of the state was “unexpected,” McWhorter said.

“As for what is causing the increase in Eastern and Southeastern Idaho, we don’t see a single determining factor,” McWhorter wrote in an email. “Increases can occur due to changes in testing patterns, partner networks, or a variety of other community factors.”

During Monday’s meeting, Tanner refused to let Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, talk about the motion, instead repeatedly calling for a vote to be taken. But she managed to slip a word in:

“I need to say I think it’s really important that we are not discriminating against people based on a disease and an infection,” Wintrow said. “Disease knows no immigration status.”

US: Chicago group support LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive migrants in and beyond detention

Chicago-based collective helps LGBTQ+ migrants in detention

A Chicago-based immigrant rights organization is working to support LGBTQ+ migrants in immigration detention through a mix of direct services, arts programs and advocacy aimed at shifting public narratives around immigration.

Migrant Support Collective, founded in 2020, focuses on meeting the immediate needs of LGBTQ+ migrants who are either detained or recently released.

“We usually tell people that our partners get people out of detention, and we try to get them through it,” said Beck Sroczynski, the organization’s program director.

The organization combines “micro level” direct services to support migrants in detention with “macro level” advocacy work aimed at “shifting and interrupting xenophobic and transphobic narratives around LGBTQ+ migrants,” Sroczynski said.

The work began in response to the harms faced by LGBTQ+ people in detention, such as harassment, physical violence and medical neglect tied to their sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status, Sroczynski said.

These challenges have been well-documented, including in a 2024 report from the National Immigrant Justice Center finding that nearly all LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive migrants surveyed had experienced harm while in detention.

Advocates have also raised concerns about the lack of transparency in federal detention systems, including gaps in data collection on transgender people in ICE custody.

“There are so many unique challenges that queer folks—especially gender nonconforming, transgender and HIV positive folks—face while experiencing detention,” Sroczynski said.

These challenges are often compounded when LGBTQ+ migrants don’t have access to outside support networks, Sroczynski said.

“For most of them, we are some of the only connections they have to the world outside of detention,” Sroczynski said.

In response, Migrant Support Collective has rolled out a series of programs for migrants in detention that center LGBTQ+ people.

One initiative, the LGBTQ+ Emotional Support program, sends resource packets to migrants that contain self-reflection exercises, identity-based materials and coping strategies that can help them navigate detention.

The packets are currently available in English and Spanish, with an Arabic translation in progress. They were developed in partnership with pro bono mental health professionals and sent to migrants through referrals from partner organizations.

Migrant Support Collective is also piloting an Art as Advocacy program, which provides detained migrants with art supplies and prompts to support creative expression and connection.

Organizers are planning a community event and art installation for later this year in Chicago where migrants can opt to have their artwork displayed, Sroczynski said. The initiative is designed to help with the isolation of detention while creating opportunities for migrants to share their stories.

Another key effort is the Data Transparency Initiative, which empowers LGBTQ+ migrants to share their own stories in a way that counters narratives that erase queer voices from immigration discourse.

Sroczynski said the program aims to “create opportunities for storytelling by detained queer migrants” while also working toward “increasing transparency and accountability” and advancing structural change.

As Migrant Support Collective grows, the organization is looking to expand its scope to support immigrants beyond detention.

The group is working on a reentry care package for LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive migrants who have been released from detention and are resettling in the Chicago area. It’s a partnership with the Chicago Center for HIV Elimination.

In addition to its LGBTQ+-specific programming, the organization continues to run its original library program, which provides detained migrants with books and journals upon request.

The program reflects the organization’s grassroots origins, which began as a small effort called “Books for Migrants.”

“That started when Michelle Velazquez and I were working at the National Immigrant Justice Center and we saw a lot of people were asking for books while in detention,” Sroczynski said.

Since then, the organization has grown significantly, supported in part by its fiscal sponsorship through Organized Communities Against Deportations.

Sroczynski said the partnership, established in 2024, has been critical to expanding its capacity.

“They provide so much support with our operations,” they said, citing fundraising connections, program feedback and administrative support. “We definitely wouldn’t be where we are today without them.”

Still, the need for additional support remains urgent—particularly for transgender migrants, Sroczynski said.

“I think that it is difficult to overemphasize the urgency of supporting and centering queer migrants, especially transgender migrants,” Sroczynski said.

New WHO report shows encouraging gains in migrant health inclusion, but gaps persist

Encouraging progress in inclusive health policies for refugees and migrants

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a major shift in how countries are responding to the health needs of refugees and migrants, with new data showing more than 60 countries – two thirds of those surveyed – now include them in their national health policies and laws.

Drawing on data from 93 Member States, the report establishes the first global baseline for tracking progress toward inclusive, migrant-responsive health systems.

Human migration is a defining feature of our shared history, driving cultural, social and economic developments across generations. Today, over 1 billion people – over 1 in 8 globally – live as refugees or migrants.

Reasons for moving range from conflict and disasters, to economic opportunity, education or family needs. Yet many refugees and migrants face barriers to accessing care, heightened risks of infectious and chronic diseases, mental-health challenges, and unsafe living or working conditions.

“Refugees and migrants are not just recipients of care, they are also health workers, caregivers and community leaders,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization. “Health systems are only truly universal when they serve everyone. WHO’s new report on the health of migrants and refugee shows that inclusion benefits whole societies and strengthens preparedness for future health challenges.”

Investment in refugee and migrant health deliver far-reaching dividends. They support better social and economic integration, strengthen the resilience of health systems and reinforce global health security. Inclusive, migrant-responsive health systems also reduce long-term costs by enabling healthy, well-integrated populations to contribute fully to the societies in which they live.

The new “World report on promoting the health of refugees and migrants: monitoring progress on the WHO global action plan” shows that even in politically sensitive contexts, countries are increasingly relying on evidence, data, science, and established norms and standards to guide how migration and health are addressed within national health systems.

Case studies from all six WHO regions illustrate how progress can be achieved in practice – from expanded migrant health insurance coverage in Thailand, to the use of cross-cultural communication mediators in Belgium, and the inclusion of migrant community representatives in decision-making on primary health care delivery in Chile.

Gaps remain

Despite progress, the report highlights persisting gaps:

only 37% of responding countries routinely collect, analyze and disseminate migration-related health data as part of national health information systems;
just 42% include refugees and migrants in emergency preparedness, disaster risk reduction or response plans;
fewer than 40% report training health workers in culturally responsive care for refugees and migrants;
only 30% have implemented communication campaigns to counter misperceptions and discrimination related to refugee and migrant health;
access remains uneven: while refugees are generally more likely to access health services, migrants in irregular situations, internally displaced persons, migrant workers, and international students are far less consistently covered; and
participation in governance is limited: refugees and migrants remain under-represented in health governance and decision-making processes in most countries.

The way forward

WHO welcomes the progress made and urges governments, partners and donors to accelerate progress by:

embedding refugees and migrants in all national health policies, strategies and plans;
strengthening the collection and use of routine, disaggregated migration health data for planning and accountability;
coordinating across sectors spanning health, housing, education, employment and social protection;
tailoring strategies to the specific needs of different migrant subgroups, including those in irregular situations;
meaningfully engaging refugees and migrants in planning, governance and service design and delivery;
training health workers on providing equitable, culturally-sensitive care;
tackling misinformation and discrimination through evidence-informed action; and
protecting and expanding financing to safeguard progress for all.

WHO will continue to support Member States to translate commitments into action, by strengthening evidence, promoting culturally responsive care and integrating refugees and migrants into resilient national health systems. At global, regional and country levels, WHO will also continue working closely with partners, including the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Bank to advance coordinated, rights-based approaches to refugee and migrant health.

The IOM became the first international organization to onboard onto the Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN), a WHO-hosted digital public infrastructure that enables the verification of health documents across countries. The new collaboration is expected to further enhance efforts to help migrants securely access verifiable health records wherever they go, supporting continuity of care across borders.

By becoming the first international organization to join the GDHCN, IOM underscores WHO’s leadership in leading the public health aspects of refugee and migrant health and in fostering trusted, interoperable digital health systems that protect and empower people globally.