Cameron welcomes gay Africans to the UK.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....-given-asylum-UK.html

Why should gay Africans be given asylum in the UK, there are other countries they could settle in?

How would we know they are Gay, is there a special test that proves it?

Cameron also says he wants to lift the ban on Gays giving blood, isn't Aids prevalent in Africa?

Well that's it, is there now not one of the main parties worth voting for?

[Bobbisox]

Isn't that where Aids originated?

[Oneeyedvic]

///Cameron also says he wants to lift the ban on Gays giving blood, isn't Aids prevalent in Africa? ////

What has gays giving blood go to do with aids in Africa?

[anotheoldgit]

/// What has gays giving blood go to do with aids in Africa? ///

I thought that was obvious, because Cameron wants to welcome African gays into the UK.

[Sqad]

AOG is saying, I think, that African gays may not be HIV positive and would be safe to donate blood.

[Sqad]

Sorry AOG.....I should have said oneeyedvic was saying that.

[Oneeyedvic]

Just to let you know it is not just Cameron looking at this: http://www.timesonlin...th/article6891256.ece

I Think the Terrence Trust quote at the end of the article sums it up perfectly:

The Terrence Higgins Trust, the HIV and sexual health charity, said that it accepted the ban for the time being. “We believe that the current policy of the National Blood Service was based on the best available evidence when it was drawn up.

“Only when an expert review has re-evaluated risks to the safety of the blood supply should the current policy be changed in line with new evidence.”

[anotheoldgit]

Yes I agree with the The Terrence Higgins Trust.

What right has Cameron or Peter Tatchell, the gay rights campaigner to say it is safe for gays to give blood, just to satisfy their own particular agenda?

[flip_flop]

I've got quite a lot of time for Peter Tatchell - I'm not entirely convinced he should just be considered a 'gay rights campainger' given the bravery he showed with the racist tyrant Mugabe.

[Quinlad]

I'd be interested to know how hard it is to detect HIV/AIDS in donated blood. It's tested as a matter of course isn't it?

The number of infected people coming forward to give blood would be tiny. The number of them who would go undetected would be so infintesimally small, it would barely register.

Compare that with the number of people who die every year because of the chronic shortage of blood donors.

I know certain people get the heebie-jeebies at the idea of carrying a gay man's blood but it's probably preferable to death.

[jake-the-peg]

How many do die through a lack of blood donors Quinlad?

[Sqad]

///Compare that with the number of people who die every year because of the chronic shortage of blood donors. ///

One cannot give and shouldn't give HIV + blood to a recipient.

HIV is easy to test in donated blood.

[Quinlad]

The NHS estimates that just over 1,000 people die in the UK every year from a lack of blood (and organ) donors.

And this from the Independent:

"If the ban is lifted and gay men who practice safe sex are allowed to donate, a single HIV-positive blood donation will slip through clinical screening once every 5,769 years. That's one time between now and the year 7777 – or equivalent to it happening once since 3761 BC, when cities had not yet been invented."

[Sqad]

Quinlad...LOL..well there you go, not much danger there then.


Nothing to do with the question, but any ideas on the percentage of gay men giving blood who are rejected due to HIV+?

[Sqad]

Quinlad......I have been thinking.......1,000 people die each year through lack of blood or organs.............surely that must apply only to organs.

Can you give me a link.

[Oneeyedvic]

from the blood website: The special problem of HIV and Hepatitis viruses

Every single blood donation is tested for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) and hepatitis B and C.
Infected blood isn't used in transfusions but our test may not always detect the early stages of viral infection.
The chance of infected blood getting past our screening tests is very small, but we rely on your help and co-operation.
People who carry these viruses may feel healthy for many years.


I think that the problem may be if someone has contracted the virus within the last few days, it will not show up immediately in tests.

As above, I would rely on experts letting us know what the best course of action is - if it is deemed safe, then great, if there is an unacceptable risk, then the ban is right

[anotheoldgit]

How would we know they are Gay, is there a special test that proves it?

No one seems to have answered this question?

[kestrelg]

There are about 70 countries in Africa with an estimated population of 1 billion.
Has Mr Cameron any idea what would happen if only 1 per cent of Africans took up on his offer. Clearly the man has not thought this out on the points of housing. education,health or the opinions of the electorate.