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Govt reacts on AIDS disability grant reports

    JOHANNESBURG

    Namibia has denied allegations that it had scrapped disability grants to people living with HIV/AIDS.

    Earlier this week a local newspaper, The Namibian, reported that Dr Columbia Shingle, permanent secretary of the health ministry, had sent a circular to all senior medical officials informing them that any payment of such grants to HIV-positive people was illegal.

    But on Wednesday Shingle responded by saying that the government had decided to disallow grants to able-bodied HIV-positive people who could still hold down employment.

    The Namibian quoted Shangula as saying, "If an individual develops full-blown AIDS and is incapable of working, such a person would qualify for a disability grant by virtue of being incapable of adequately providing for their own maintenance, and not by virtue of being HIV-positive."

    According to the Ministry of Health, a 50 percent level of disability, determined by a medical doctor, would qualify the recipient for a grant.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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