By Brook Sabin
3 News can tonight reveal that since the case of Glenn Mills, the man charged with deliberately infecting people with HIV, officials have been concerned about at least five others putting people at risk.
The concerns are detailed in confidential briefings obtained by 3 News.
Mills took his own life in Mount Eden prison while awaiting trial for knowingly exposing young sex partners to HIV.
Now, documents obtained under the Official Information Act show since then officials have had concerns about at least five others knowingly putting people at risk.
NZ Aids Foundation policy advisor Dr Jason Myers says they do not know the exact nature of those cases.
“If there is express intent to infect by any of those five individuals, then we would have serious concern.”
The Aids Foundation says the vast majority with HIV safely use condoms.
But these Ministry of Health briefings raise serious questions about the lack of policy in place for the small number who recklessly spread the virus.
That includes:
- Limited power to require medical testing for people who recklessly spread the disease.
- A very limited ability to allow doctors to warn partners and close associates if a person is recklessly putting them at risk.
- And almost no power to trace those who may be infected.
The main problem is the current health law dates back to 1956 before HIV was even discovered.
“HIV right now in New Zealand is at the worst rate it's ever been, so it's time we had really effective legislation to intervene and manage those who place other at risk of infection,” says Dr Myers.
The former Labour government introduced the Public Health Bill back in 2007, which would have overhauled all health policy, including that around HIV.
But it is stalled under National, which slammed parts of it as nanny state. Labour’s health spokesman Grant Robertson says National has sat on that bill for three years and done nothing with it.
“The Labour Party’s priority is to pass it to give health authorities the tools that they need to deal with public health issues, like HIV.”
The Minister of Health would not front for an interview, but health officials have told 3 News they are currently considering whether special laws should be introduced to manage people who recklessly spread HIV.
3 News