First Do No Harm: Discrimination in Health Care Settings against People Living with HIV in Cambodia, China, Myanmar, and Viet Nam

Discrimination in health care settings is one of the foremost barriers preventing people living with HIV and key populations from accessing critical health services. For people living with HIV, disclosure can mean they are denied surgery or treatment. This report summarizes documented experiences of discrimination against people living with HIV in health care settings, and discusses the devastating consequences for those patients in the region who are turned away by health care practitioners because of their status.

Based on 202 interviews conducted by 8 community based organizations in Cambodia, China, Myanmar and Viet Nam, this report documents discriminatory practices against people living with HIV, including involuntary testing, disclosure, segregation, and arbitrary additional expenses for patients due to their HIV status. For women living with HIV, discrimination also extends to sexual and reproductive health services, including advice against pregnancy and, in some cases, sterilization on the advice of doctors due to their HIV status. 

This report also documents health care done right. Examples where affected communities, health care providers and governments work together to increase awareness of HIV prevention, illustrate best practices to reduce discrimination and ensure the right to health for all.