a ministerial decree just removed HIV from the list of transmissible infections prescribing or prohibiting certain funeral operations. People who died with HIV will now be able to receive funeral care, although this had been prohibited since 1986. Until then, no conservation care could be provided to them and the body of the deceased suffering from AIDS was placed in a coffin which was immediately closed.
A fear of contamination
This measure, signed by the Minister of Health Agnès Buzyn, will take effect on January 1, 2018.
“This is a great victory in the fight against #serophobia and for the dignity of people living with HIV and their loved ones” reacted to the AIDES association on twitter.
It is a great victory in the fight against #serophobia and for the dignity of people living with HIV and their families
– Association AIDES (@assoAIDES) July 20, 2017
Funeral care consists of injecting a preservative in place of blood in order to delay the degradation of the body. This care was prohibited for people with HIV (they still are for people with Kreutzfeld-Jacob disease) for fear of contamination. THE’ActUp association announces moreover that it will remain vigilant regarding the application of this new measure by embalming workers “some of whom are very reluctant to end this discrimination”.
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