EU Moves Forward in Assisting Libya HIV Sufferers, Bulgarian Nurses

Politics | September 6, 2005, Tuesday // 00:00

The European Commission moved forward in its efforts to help HIV sufferers in Libya and to assist the five Bulgarian nurses, jailed in the African country.

Although EC said that actions undertaken are not connected to its efforts for the release of the five Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctors, experts say that it would certainly have an effect on the trial.

EC and the Libyan authorities have agreed to immediately to implement urgent policy advice and technical support to the Libyan health authorities and upgrade the capacity of the Benghazi Centre for Infectious Diseases and Immunology to international standards.

The "HIV Action Plan for Benghazi" was launched by the EU in November 2004 and is being implemented by the Libyan authorities with support from the Commission and EU Member States.

The Action Plan includes provision of policy advice to the Libyan government and health authorities at national and regional level and provision of technical assistance and specialist advice on the treatment of patients, systems for safe blood transfusion, laboratory analysis, hospital management and social reintegration of HIV-infected persons and their families into Libyan society.

This essential package follows talks between Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, the Libyan health authorities and the Qaddafi Foundation during the Commissioner's visit to Benghazi and Tripoli in May. Back then she visited the imprisoned Bulgarian medics.

In Benghazi, more than 400 children and mothers have been infected by HIV/AIDS.

Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor were sentenced to death a year ago on charges of intentionally causing an AIDS outbreak at a Benghazi children's hospital, sparkling cries of foul from Bulgaria and its allies the United States and the European Union. The court ignored world-renowned AIDS experts testimony that the outbreak started before the medics began working at the clinic.

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