View Full Version : Botswana - compulsory HIV tests for pilots
Re-Heat
17th Aug 2007, 03:05
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6950240.stm
Saudi Arabia has done the same thing for the last 20 years or so. Some nationalities have to be tested annually in order to renew their residency permits.
Its taken Bots a long time to catch up....
Mutt
pyote
17th Aug 2007, 07:09
Might be a few Pirates in Maun that get a nasty shcok!!!
Naughty boys!
Same as the UAE for many years !
Contract Dog
17th Aug 2007, 12:21
same goes for Sudan, but if you get found to be +, they send you home ont the 1st flight!
Dog
Mark J B
17th Aug 2007, 16:07
I hear it is now an ICAO requirement and that is why Bots is introducing it. That means it will come here too.
Solid Rust Twotter
17th Aug 2007, 16:20
Wouldn't that infringe the SA constitution? Not that the right to life, safety and security as mentioned in the SA constitution is worth a whole lot.
Avi8tor
17th Aug 2007, 17:18
SAA has already been up this tree, its illegal to discriminate.
Baron Von Mildred
25th Aug 2007, 00:37
So whats the usual scenario in Africa for HIV pilots? Here in Europe JAR rules allow pilots to hold a medical, although there is strict monitoring of the disease. There is no requirement for compulsory testing, even though we have ICAO licenses here.
When I worked in central Africa a few years back, I don't remember having anything checked for my medical!
Gulfstreamaviator
25th Aug 2007, 11:07
The UAE does not insist on aids trest for pilots initial medicals, the aids test is for the issue of a residence visa.
The JAA and FAA do not insist on aids tests.
Russia insists on aids tests for 12 mths visas but not 12 x 1 month visa. ????
I was a visiting pilot in Botswana last week, and found the country very interesting, 40% aids, reported.
Not sure if I would even practice even very safe sex.
glf
based in UAE.
Tango24
27th Aug 2007, 19:42
The Botswana national carrier has had more than one incident that has in one way or another been related to the virus...... With staff becoming very ill and mentally unstable due to circumstances and then taking out part of the fleet by flying the 1 of 3 ATR's into the others when they were told that their license was being pulled - another recent incident with a crew member setting themselves alight..... maybe an HIV test is not enough.....but it's a start. ICAO might be onto something.....
Thank goodness this is a rumour network......
Botswana also has a very positive attitude in fighting the virus - they are one of the few countries that have reasonably accurate statistics - they're not afraid to show the truth of what this virus is doing to their population.
It will be interesting to see how it gets implemented.....and if other neighbouring countries will follow - oh except for SA they've got their beetroot and Garlic....:ok:
Baron Von Mildred
27th Aug 2007, 22:27
I've found a link for the ICAO document on HIV:http://www.icao.int/icaonet/dcs/8984/8984_chapter_12_en.pdf
I can't see anything in there about compulsory HIV tests (other than for those already being monitored), most of it seems to be about the circumstances where a medical can still be issued.