Doctors: U.S. Government Must Link AIDS, Anti-Trafficking Efforts

Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Also Included In: HIV / AIDS;  Public Health
Article Date: 03 Aug 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Highlighting a just-published study showing that sex slaves spread AIDS even after their rescue from human trafficking overlords and pimps, the nation's largest faith-based association of doctors today called for more concerted U.S. government action related to the link between AIDS and human trafficking.

Christian Medical Association CEO Dr. David Stevens said, "Today's published study in the Journal of the American Medical Association highlights the link between HIV-AIDS and human trafficking. We have been encouraging U.S. health officials over the past several years to incorporate strong and clear policies that address this link, and to devote greater energies and resources to the health aspects of human trafficking, or modern-day slavery."

CMA's Medical Consultant on Health and Human Trafficking, Dr. Jeffrey Barrows, said, "Very few published medical studies to date have addressed this link, so this study is a real breakthrough that we hope will stimulate concrete action in our government and the public health community. This study should help U.S. and international government officials better recognize and emphasize the public health implications of human trafficking, and sex trafficking in particular."

Dr. Barrows said, "Health officials have just begun to recognize this link, and stronger emphasis is needed. Interventions aimed at eradicating sex trafficking, rescuing and restoring sex-trafficked victims, and preventing future sex trafficking need to be a more strongly emphasized strategy in the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and other AIDS-related programs. Anti-trafficking measures should be specifically and consistently emphasized in AIDS-related grant stipulations and proposal evaluations." The Christian Medical Association offers on its web site a training module for physicians on health and human trafficking. The module carries Category One continuing medical education credit, and has already been used by over 500 individuals.

http://www.cmda.org