South Africa: ARVs Elusive for Refugees and Illegal Immigrants

Every year, thousands of Africans fleeing war and economic hardship make a perilous journey towards the tip of the continent - their sights set on a better life in the regional powerhouse, South Africa. But while South Africa is grappling with the challenge of providing anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) to those of its citizens who are HIV-positive, less is said about how best to treat AIDS in the country's substantial population of refugees and illegal immigrants. As a result, the few who do qualify for ARVs often miss out on the opportunity of taking these life-prolonging drugs - while those who don't find the hardships of migrant life compounded by HIV.