The Adamawa House of Assembly on
Wednesday passed a law for compulsory HIV and genotype (sickle cell
anaemia) test for couples before marriage.....
The law was unanimously passed after the
third reading of the bill at plenary presided over by the Speaker,
Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa.
A motion for the third reading of the
bill was moved by the Majority Leader, Mr Hassan Barguma (APC-Hong), and
seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Emmanuel Tsamdu (APC-Madagali).
The speaker of the house then directed
the Clerk of the Assembly to make clean copy of the bill and send to the
governor for his assent.
Parts of the bill stipulated that any
couple intending to marry would be subjected to a compulsory HIV/AIDS
and genotype test that should be conducted in public hospitals or
registered diagnostic centres one week before the marriage.
The bill also required that the
certificate of the two tests should be presented to any religious
institution or the clergymen of church or mosque where the wedding would
be contracted.
“Any person or persons who have complied
with this law in fulfillment of the requirement of the previous
marriage shall not on this basis evade undergoing the test when
contracting any subsequent marriage,” the proposed law stated.
Part three of the bill also made case
for non-discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS and sickle cell
anaemia in the state.
“Individuals, communities, employers and
employees have a mutual responsibility to prevent discrimination on
basis of HIV (AIDS) or Sickle Cell Anaemia in the society.
“No cultural practice or tradition shall
encourage documented practices that exposé people to risk of HIV
infection,” the bill said.
It further provided for a penalty of
N150,000 for individuals and N500,000 for organisations or imprisonment
for a period not less than one year or both for any person or
institution found guilty of non-compliance with the law.
With regard to organisations, the head or representatives of the board of the organisation would be held liable, the bill said.
NAN
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