UN officials says Uganda may lose AIDS research centre

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Uganda may lose the chance to host a major AIDS research institution if its parliament passes a bill against homosexuality, a United Nations official has said.

Catherine Hankins, the chief scientific advisor for UNAIDS, suggested that her organisation and the World Health Organisation (WHO) could take a decision on the location of the institution depending on whether the bill passes.

A meeting today decided that the Geneva-based African AIDS Vaccine Programme (AAVP) will be shifted to the Ugandan city of Entebbe.

But Hankins told AFP: "Criminalising adult consensual sex is not only a human rights issue, it goes against a good HIV strategy.

"If the bill passes, UNAIDS and WHO would have to decide what happens and to see whether this is an appropriate place."

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/14/un-officials-says-uganda-may-lose-aids-research-centre/