[NYTr] Palestinian with AIDS barred from Israeli hospital
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The Independent - 19 January 2006
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article339575.ece
Palestinian with Aids barred from Israeli hospital
By Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem
A Palestinian Aids patient has been denied permission to leave Gaza for
treatment in Israel despite warnings by senior Israeli clinicians that
the case is urgent.
The man is being blocked by the military from leaving Gaza although he
has been undergoing an extended course of treatment at a Tel Aviv
hospital, and a written demand has been made by six leading Aids experts
and the chairman of the Israeli Medical Association that he be allowed
to return there.
The condition of the patient, who suffers from haemophilia and is
understood to have become HIV-positive as a result of a contaminated
blood transfusion in the occupied Palestinian territories, has recently
deteriorated and he is in hospital in Gaza, which has no advanced
facilities for treating Aids.
The Israeli Defence Forces said the man posed a "security threat" but
were unable to elaborate further, referring enquiries to the domestic
intelligence agency Shin Bet.
The agency said it could not respond to an enquiry without being given
the name of the patient, which has not been disclosed to protect his
confidentiality.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHR) said he had been denied entry
into Israel on 19 December by troops at the main Erez crossing from
Gaza, and a subsequent request by PHR to the army's "humanitarian
hotline" on 5 January that he be admitted had also been turned down.
A further request on 12 January for the man to be allowed into Israel
had also been refused despite professional opinions stressing the
medical importance of his doing so by two senior medics, including Dr
Itzik Levi, the director of the Aids service, at Tel Hashomer Hospital,
where the man was being treated.
PHR said yesterday in a statement that the patient's "life is in danger"
and added that Gaza medics had advised that it was impossible for him to
be treated in Egypt which has a border crossing with Gaza.
It added: "The professional treatment he needs is available at Tel
Hashomer Hospital. In addition, the patient's case is familiar to the
medical staff, as he has been treated there in the past."
PHR's spokesman, Shabtai Gold, said last night that even if the patient
posed a potential danger to Israeli civilians or others "the security
forces could surely find appropriate ways round that".
He said that dangerous criminals and others in Israeli prisons are still
entitled to, and receive, medical treatment "which is a basic human
right".
*
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