Under the leadership of Congresswoman Susel Paredes, the country takes an important step towards including migrants in TB and HIV treatment without the need for legal proof of residence
Susel Paredes during her speech in plenary. Her TB/HIV law proposal had 79 in favor and it's a great step for migrants in the Americas Region. Credits: personal archive.
The Congress of Peru has taken a crucial step towards protecting the rights of the migrant population by passing three pieces of legislation, laws no. 5253, 5554, and 7260, which expand access to comprehensive medical care without the need for official residency documentation for people diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) and HIV. Proposed by Congresswoman Susel Paredes, who is also co-chair of the Peruvian Tuberculosis Caucus and a member of the Global TB Caucus-Americas TB Caucus, the legislation covers fundamental aspects of the fight against these two infectious diseases: TB-HIV coinfection (about 30% of deaths among HIV-positive people are due to tuberculosis) and the direct inclusion of vulnerable populations in the right to healthcare access. The approval, with 79 votes in favor, represents a significant advance in public health policies and will now move to presidential approval next month.
The context in which these laws were pushed is not insignificant: Peru is one of the countries who endorsed the Political Declaration of the 2023 High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis, where it commits, among many other pledges, to “transforming the TB response to be equitable, human rights-based, and people-centered.” In her remarks, Congresswoman Paredes emphasized that caring for migrants also means caring for the local population, recognizing that the inclusion of these communities is not only an act of social justice but also a key measure to improve public health overall.
These regulations are particularly urgent as migrants in Peru, especially those living with HIV, face extreme vulnerability. According to data from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, 70.7% of migrants with HIV in the country are victims of stigmatization, and almost half have suffered physical violence or sexual exploitation. Access to medical care remains limited: only 2% of migrants with HIV are covered by the Comprehensive Health System (SIS in Spanish), forcing most to pay for their treatment, something many cannot afford.
The passage of these laws had the support of UNAIDS and the collaboration of civil society organizations, which have worked to raise awareness about the reality of migrants in the country and their right to healthcare. This achievement not only marks progress for Peru but also offers a model of care and protection that other countries in the region can replicate, highlighting the importance of inclusive and equitable public health policies for all.
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